The Fate of the Galaxy
by S. A. Morley
Summary: Revenge is what she seeks, and now that Dark Samus has defied death, she can carry out the vengeance she has plotted in the dark. Yet, her power is little, so she must rely on trickery and thievery to get what she wants - even if it is the last, most grand thing she will ever do. There is a way... Final chapter in RigelGlyth's Corruption series.
1. Departure

"Are you sure you have to leave?"

"Yeah, my people are demanding Samus, I can't miss this."

She sighed, her eyes pleading. "Why do you need to go?"

"The Phrygisians heard I had lived and want to celebrate. If I skip out, they'll banish me if I ever try to return. Plus, since the Federation was accused of kidnapping me as a child, they don't want me with them anymore."

We were standing in a docking bay, mildly arguing. It had been a month since Samus and I had faced sergeant Jake Larsen, and we had both healed quickly. I was on my feet again, and she had regained her ability to walk. Our feelings for each other were unchanged, however.

"Quit crying, Samus," Gandrayda spat, joining our conversation. "Rundas is a big boy, he'll be safe."

"That's not what I'm fussing about, though," she shot back, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's that I'll miss him."

Gandrayda groaned, rolling her eyes and trudging away. "Always the same between you two. Always!" She continued talking, but I tuned her out.

"You're going to miss me?"

Samus pouted her lip. "Well of course. You saved me from so many near-death experiences I've lost count. What am I going to do with you gone?"

I shrugged. "The same thing you always did before, I guess."

She grunted as my replacement ship was hauled in from another hanger. "What I just don't understand is how the three of you got calls back to your home planets all at the same time..."

"Gossip spreads quickly around the galaxy," she made a face. "Don't ask me how that makes sense."

Ghor arrived, carrying what seemed to be a heavy tool box. "I can't believe it! I'm actually going back to Wotan VII after all these years! I can't wait to see everyone!"

"What's with the box, Ghor? Doing some repairs?" I asked, staring at it.

He patted the hard top. "No. I managed to smuggle some technology from Elysia. I'm going to show the rest of my people the advancements. Maybe I'll be able to upgrade myself!" He smiled, turning his head and grinning broadly. "Ah! My baby has arrived!"

A huge, sleek, heavy built suit hulked towards us on autopilot. Ghor ran to it, embracing the thick front and sighing. "Now introducing-" he held his hands out in presentation. "Ghor Fighter 2!! Isn't it marvelous?"

I smiled awkwardly. I didn't see how amazing the large metal thing was, but gave him a thumbs-up anyway. Ghor's expression went from ecstatic to dull. "Way to boost my confidence, Rundas."

I chuckled. "Anytime." I looked towards the ship that lay waiting for me to pilot it. "Well Samus, I'd better get going. I'm supposed to be on Phrygis tonight. It takes most of the day to travel that far."

She exhaled. "Fine. But will you keep in touch? I hardly have any friends here..."

"What about Admiral Dane? Couldn't he keep you entertained?" I stared at her skeptically.

"He's older than me. Besides, that relationship would be weird."

I approached my new Galactic Federation craft, opening the hatch and ducking inside. "I'm older than you are," I said, seeing the huntress stand outside the front window.

"How many years?"

"About five. But don't worry, I'm still eligible," I grinned, closing the door and igniting the engine. "See you around, Samus."

She waved, smiling with slight sadness. "Bye," I watched her mouth, then I pulled out of the docking bay and away from Olympus.

Ghor was in his new suit and was flying to my left, with Gandrayda to my right transformed into a ship of some kind. The cyborg gave me a nod, then took off away from me. Gandrayda didn't do much, but reared to the right and went into hyperdrive.

I was now exiting the Galactic Federation's boundaries. Flicking a switch, I turned the engines to maximum and followed the coordinates towards the of Phrygis.

_Welcome home party, here I come!!_


	2. Homecoming

I arrived after many boring hours at Phrygis, the moon of Bes III. The little planet was glowing with health, all blue and white. Clouds swirled prettily, and cold practically emanated from it. I sighed. I was finally where I belonged.

I descended into the atmosphered, ice creeping up the nose of my ship familiarly. I recognized the playful pops the frigidness made, and chuckled to myself at how I loved to hear something so childish.

The clouds parted, and I saw endless hills of white flecked with blue. An exceptionally large section of gleaming ice sculpted homes were right in my line of vision, almost like they were inviting me to come. I grew excited, forcing my shuttle to go faster and land sooner. I docked in a poof of snow, which gathered around my craft and covered the city from my view. I opened the door, stepping out into the extremely cold Phrygis air.

My feet sunk into the powder snow quietly, and I looked down to see it reached my ankles. I smiled, lifting my right foot up and watching the flakes slide down it and back onto the drift. I laughed, the snow tickled as it slipped down my toe.

I felt someone approach, and I looked up to see five multicolored Phrygisians running towards me. The dark black one in the lead's eyes went wide and a grin spread across his face. "Rundas!" I recognized the deep, matured voice of my old friend Hartch. The midnight Phrygisian was accompanied by a maroon, bright orange, brown, and light green Phrygisians, all with huge eyes and open mouths. "You're back!" Hartch exclaimed, rushing forward and catching me in a bear hug.

"Ugh! You're crushing me!" I gasped, desperately sucking in frozen air once he loosened his grip.

"Sorry, Rundas. We just missed you so much!" He pulled away, motioning towards the others with him. "You remember Platto, Armant, Jaiduhs, and Grorn, right?" His company were all simpering as I nodded.

"Grorn! You got your armor!" I marveled, for he was premature and never grew to gain his plating when I was still here.

He smiled. "Yes! But, it's the armor of a twelve year old, so I'm not as muscular as you are. Man, you're a legend!"

I scratched the back of my head. "Didn't think I was."

"Of course you are, Rundas!" Armant exclaimed, and I couldn't help but stare. She had grown to be an exceptionally beautiful Phrygisian... I blinked several times, saying to myself in my head, _think of Samus, think of Samus, think of Samus..._ "You battled with Samus Aran and lived to tell the tale!"

I shrugged. "Well, I deserved the punishment of the attack."

They all went quiet. "What are you talking about?" Jaiduhs asked, tilting his brown head to the side.

I looked past them, trying to avoid talking about my corrupted failure. "I'll explain later. Could we see everybody else?"

Platto patted my shoulder. "Sure! Your parents are going to be the happiest to see you!" I followed him and the others as we stepped into the crystal town.

The glistening spires and shiny homes mesmerized me. I hadn't seen such beautiful buildings in an extreme while. I saw Phrygisian heads poke out of the windows to watch us pass by, with their eyes grow large as they left to go spread the news. Had I been that anticipated?

"Why did you stay with the Federation for so long, Rundas?" Hartch asked as we traveled.

"Were you held hostage?" Armant wondered, her gleaming yellow eyes questioning.

"Of course not," I reassured with a slight chuckle. Why did they think I was being held against my will? "There was merely a series of missions that called for my assistance."

"Over the lapse of six years? Did they need your help when they kidnapped you?" Platto said.

"No!" I replied sharply, which caused him to stare. "Sorry for snapping, but you are mistaking the Federation seriously. They aren't bad humans. I was taken by accident, and when I was there, I was healed. Then, I was invited to attend a fighting school. That my friends is where I learned to use my ice powers superiorly."

"Wow. I always the humans were hostile..." Armant murmured, pondering.

"They can be if they must." I said.

We stopped. I thought I recognized where we were. Looking around, I realized it. My old house was standing in front of me, except it was a tad taller and wider. The door opened, and two familiar Phrygisians stepped out onto the soft, white ground.

"Rundas!" Breena cried, hugging me gladly. I held her close, remembering I hadn't seen or touched any of my kind in what seemed an eternity. "I'm so happy you're safe."

Daygon came to us, his eyes light with relief. It was like looking into a mirror, except that my father was a lot older than me. He placed his hand on my shoulder. "Welcome back, Rundas."

I smiled at him. "It good to be back, dad." By this time, more technicolored Phrygisians had gathered, all with joyous faces.

Breena gently shook me. "Rundas! We have a surprise for you!" She said, barely holding in her glee.

I looked towards them in confusion. "What kind of surprise?"

She giggled. "Oh, Raein!" She called back to the house.

My eyes grew wide as a small Phrygisian girl bounded out of the doorway. She was light teal in color, had a proud look about her, and was smiling broadly once she saw me. "Hey!"

I froze. _"Who is this?"_ I wanted to ask, but then I thought about it. Would that be rude? I had completely forgotten the customs of politeness on Phrygis... This was going to be tough... "Hello there," was all I could come up with.

"Aren't you enraptured?" Breena squealed. "This is your little sister!"

I looked to her, shocked. "Since when do I have a little sister?"

"A few weeks after you left, we imagined you were dead. So, we decided to have another child." Daygon said, Raein bouncing to him and beaming. "She has been itching to meet you."

This was quite the news. Why hadn't they told me about this earlier? I pushed the thought away. "It's nice to meet you, Raein."

I held my hand out to shake, and she stared. "What does that mean?"

I felt the gazes of each of the many Phrygisians surrounding. "Oh! Sorry..." I felt stupid, and blushed, pulling my hand back to my side. Raein shrugged, but came forward and hugged my leg, which was the only part of me she could hold.

"You're really tall. How old are you?"

"Mid twenties. And you?"

"Eight!"

I smiled. I thought I'd grow to like this new sibling.


	3. Celebration

The entire Phrygisian colony was sitting at a large, elegant ice table at around seven o' clock. Throughout the day, I had aided with the preparation of the dining table for the feast, and also in meeting the newest Phrygisians I hadn't known about. Many of the children idolized me, and all the young boys were jealous of how powerfully I could wield my ice powers. I was asked to demonstrate a few of my abilities, and showed them how to make ice armor around their bodies. Then, I covered a snow sculpture someone had made with a dome of ice. I also made a large bridge over an bottomless gorge, which only took me about half an hour. All the children's eyes went saucer-like, and they attempted to do my tricks themselves.

Raein had taken a fancy towards me, and never left my side. Whenever she talked, she always ended her sentence with my name. She asked endless questions about my childhood, my adventures, and a plethora of other topics that pretty soon my own voice gave me a headache from responding to her. She even asked if I had any girlfriends-

"Uh... Well I wouldn't say she's my girlfriend, but we know each other well." I had told her, thinking of the huntress.

Raein grinned. "What's her name, Rundas? Is she Phrygisian too, Rundas? Could I meet her, Rundas?"

I chuckled, which made my head spin. "She's not our kind, Raein. You could meet her one day if you're lucky enough."

Anyway, around the table, the guests were chatting happily. I sat next to Daygon and Breena, along with Raein scooting her chair as close to me as possible. My friends were around as well, all of them looking anxious to talk to me.

The food was dished out, ready for eating. Everyone waited. I leaned towards Daygon, saying lowly, "Aren't we having a feast? Why isn't anybody taking the food?"

He smiled. "Since you're the main reason for this, you get served first. Didn't you remember that?"

I _had_ forgotten, but grinned anyway. "Yeah! So..." I glanced around the large variety of dishes, a little puzzled at what I was going to partake of. None of it looked appetizing, but I reached out and scooped up something purple and soupy, ladling it into the bowl that sat in front of me. It landed in the basin with splattering sounds and jiggled once it touched the ice created porringer. "Let's just get whatever this is..." I muttered. When I put the spoon back, the rest of the guests grabbed what they wanted and began eating.

I stared at the stuff. How did I consume this? I looked at the shiny utensils that sat on opposite sides of the dish. One looked like a miniature, spiked club, another was thin and razor-like, and the last was circular and shallow. I guessed from my human etiquette observations that this was some sort of Phrygisian version of a spoon.

I held it awkwardly in between my fingers, dipping the concave end in the violet mush. Raein watched me pull it out, then as I nervously popped the jiggling blob into my mouth.

It tasted sharply tangy and bitter, so I spit it back into the bowl. My sister laughed as I chugged down a full glass of water, gasping once I set it back onto the table. "You're supposed to combine the soverek with the subzero leaves, silly! It evens out the flavor to make it have less of a kick. Here," she reached across the table and snatched a handful of what seemed to be deep blue grasses, then sprinkled them all over the purple gel. She grabbed the spoon-like thing and stirred the mixture around. "now you can eat it. Try it!" Raein gathered a lump of the sick stuff and lifted it to my lips.

I looked at her, making a face. "Do I have to?"

"Yes!"

I sighed, opening my mouth as she fed me the soverek. She pulled the spoon out of my jaws and watched me chew. I had to admit, it did taste a heck of a lot better than it had before. But I could still detect the slightest bit of sourness. Other than that, it was pretty much good.

I swallowed. "Well? How was it?" Raein asked, grinning broadly.

I nodded. "Great! Though I like human meals a tad better..." She didn't hear the last sentence. "What else is tasty?" I asked brightly.

My sister beamed. "I'll be right back!" She pulled her chair out and dashed away towards another section of the table.

Daygon was watching me. I noticed him staring, and said uncomfortably, "What?"

"Nothing. I just couldn't help but notice," he seemed deep in thought. "you've changed."

"Well yeah, I've been gone for years. Wait... in a bad way or a good way?" I felt like he was judging me for some reason...

"Too early to tell." I was taken aback. _'Too early to tell?'_ what was that supposed to mean? "But we're extremely glad to have you back, Rundas. The days you were gone hurt Breena the most. Right?"

His wife nodded, setting down the club like utensil and looking down the table towards me. "The first few weeks were the worst. What with being worried about you and expecting Raein and everything."

I smiled at them. Out of the corner of my eye, Platto's body shuddered. I looked at him, he eyeing a curd on his plate with severe interest. "Platto, are you okay?"

He didn't move, but his gaze turned towards me. "Yes. Everything is fine. You have no need for concern, Rundas."

A tad disturbed by his sudden dull nature, I nodded slowly. "Okay..." Raein returned then, holding a platter that was piled with squid looking things. "And what are those?" I asked nervously, knowing it was something probably unpleasant.

"Underground Glicah! You've gotta try these, they're a Phrygisian delicacy!" She held one out towards me, and I shivered. "What's the matter? Don't like Glicah, big brother? I could get something else..."

"No!" I quickly said after seeing her face grow sad. "I'll eat them! Don't worry!" I reluctantly picked a whatever-it-was off the plate, my fingers sinking into the soft, mushy skin. Everyone looked at me eagerly, and I bit my lip. What the heck was this thing? Nervousness began to bubble up inside me as their gazes turned demanding, but I ignored it and swallowed the squiddy thing as fast as I could, not bothering to taste it.

I gasped softly when it landed, but covered it by smiling at Raein. She returned the gesture, and held out another for me to eat. "Have more! There's plenty!"

I got up, my middle gurgling. "I'll be right back, okay?" I said as clearly as I could, then walked away from the table. "Don't wait for me!" I called once I was well away from the dining table.

Standing alone in the snow, I felt really homesick. But, not about Phrygis. I was homesick in a way where I missed the company at the place I called, _home_. I missed Gandrayda (remarkably), Ghor, even a few of the Galactic Federation personnel. I then realized I was going through major Samus Aran withdrawals. _I should be enjoying myself! Not thinking about Samus! Besides, she'll be fine without me. _I thought.

I sighed, preparing to rejoin the Phrygisians at the table, when my stomach suddenly lurched. I clutched my gut, my eyes flicking around the white in panic. I felt uncomfortably hot, and broke out in a cold sweat. Saliva built up in my mouth more than usual, and I doubled over, my abdominal muscles contracting violently as I threw up all over the snow.

I coughed and gagged for a few minutes, the fresh vomit dripping from my mouth, mixed with my drool. My abdominal area hurt, with my throat burning and my hands clammy.

Soft crunches came from behind me, and I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Rundas? Are you feeling alright?" I heard Daygon say, and I hurriedly cleared my mouth of spew. "Are you sick?"

I shook my head. "Of course not! I don't get-" I covered my mouth as another round crawled up my throat. I spat it out, and, luckily it wasn't much. "-sick..."

Daygon and another Phrygisian I didn't know stood me up. "I think we'd better get you to bed, hm?" My father suggested, and I gratefully nodded. I was exhausted all of a sudden...

After an explanation of why I was leaving the party, my family and I went back to the house, where I was escorted to my old room. I had to slightly duck to escape hitting my head on the low ceiling. Raein happily exclaimed this was now her living quarters, but invited me to sleep in the same place anyway. And by the same place she meant the exact same bed.

So I lay there, with Raein curled up next to me, staring up at the crystal-like ceiling. I had to admit it was nice being back home, but I felt... out of place. Even among my own kind. Was it because I had been with the Federation for so long? Or because of the influence the humans and the other bounty hunters had on me? I wasn't quite sure, but tried to go to sleep anyway; which was a tad challenging.

At around three o' clock in the morning, after countless minutes of sleeplessness, I heard something that really woke me up- My parents talking to each other in the next room.

I couldn't understand what they were saying, and since I was curious, I placed my hand to the ice wall, taking a few layers away from it. Now I could silently listen to the conversation unnoticed.

"We can't have him in that condition. What do you suggest we do?" I heard Breena utter.

"I'm not sure... There isn't much we can work with, here. If only he hadn't stayed with the humans for six years. He would've been weaker, then we could have done this a lot sooner." Daygon responded.

Who were they talking about? Me? And _what_ were they discussing? I felt uneasy, and listened harder.

After an extensive pause, Daygon said, "Of course there is that option..."

Breena gasped. "You mean?"

I could picture him smirk. "Yes, that one. If we get it tight and efficient, then maybe we could stretch it just long enough to..." He trailed off.

Breena giggled creepily. "Brilliant! But, in order to do that we must catch him by surprise. After all, Rundas is a very accomplished hunter."

My eyes widened. What in the world were my parents going to do to me? I didn't like the way my mother chortled. It reminded me of someone else... Someone-

"Simple, Breena, all we have to do is..." He was speaking quieter, low enough to the point where even if I strained my ears, I couldn't even catch a syllable of what he was telling his wife.

"And when Rundas awakes?" She asked.

My heart stopped.

"We kill him."


	4. Escape from Hell

I couldn't breathe, and was frozen in my place. _Holy crap, oh no, they're gonna kill me?! What's wrong with these people?!_ Were the thoughts flying through my head. I was shivering, which agitated Raein, and she moaned. I patted her shoulder cautiously, but slowly got up from the bed and onto the floor. Adrenaline was my energy, and panic was my drive.

I went through the doorway, tiptoeing past my parents room and other doors which I didn't know where they opened to. I managed to climb a set of stairs silently, and then open the front door and bolt across the snow as fast as my legs could take me. And why didn't I use my ice powers? They get faulty when you're supercharged and your blood is practically boiling. So instead of gliding, I ran like a maniac.

The houses on either side of the path were dark, but lit up in the rainbow auroras that ribboned in the black sky. The lights glared off the snow, making it as bright as noon, and easy for me to see where I was going.

I had to get to my ship. If I didn't, I'd stay stuck with homicidal parents and mishap siblings that I hadn't even known existed. This all was mind boggling. How did I always get caught up in the weirdest circumstances?

I finally emerged from the town, relieved. But, seeing something large and bright orange ahead. I squinted, trying to peer through the glow, and skidded to a stop in horror as I approached it.

Standing around my blazing ship were Hartch, Platto, Armant, Jaiduhs, and Grorn. Each of them were holding packs of fuel gel, with Hartch twisting an ignition stick in his fingers. Malicious grins were spread crookedly on their faces. "I'm afraid you won't be leaving Phrygis, Rundas," Jaiduhs growled, his voice deeper than usual. "Not until we're finished with you."

I took a step back, bumping into somebody. I turned and looked to find Daygon -with a large portion of male and female Phrygisians behind him- something white and squirming clenched in his fist. "Don't worry, son, this will only hurt a bit..."

I backed off, twisting my head left and right to see all of my captors. Was the entire planet going against me? This was unfair! I held my hands up, ready to shoot anybody that came towards me. Even _if_ they were family.

"Give it up, Rundas. You can't defeat all of us combined!" Platto mocked as I accidentally ran into him, the maroon Phrygisian wrapping his arms around me. I squirmed and grunted, but he held me tight enough to render my movements helpless.

Daygon approached, with whatever it was screeching in his hand. I was thrust onto the snow carelessly, Platto digging his knees into the small of my back and forcing his palms on my spine. I couldn't get up, and watched as my father knelt and held the writhing thing towards the back of my neck.

I noticed that he seemed different. In fact, each and every one of them seemed abnormal. I just couldn't put my finger on what it was that made them strange.

I stared at what my father was about to place on me, seeing that it was some sort of energy made being, with a single, glowing red eye that was in the center of its circular head. It didn't have arms or legs, except four fin like appendages that flapped as it grew ever anxious to latch itself onto me.

Daygon was five inches from touching me with the thing, and the atmosphere around grew eager. The Phrygisians around leaned in to watch.

I wasn't going to give up, yet!

I threw my head back, clocking Platto in the jaw. He cried out, reaching up and faltering his pressure on my back. I seized this opportunity and swung my elbow into my "friend's" eye, also punching Daygon in the face as hard as I could. The crowd seemed to freeze, and I got to my feet while they were dazed, taking off into the air on a trail of ice.

"After him! Don't let him escape!" Daygon shouted from below, and the men shot upward and after me, crying out Phrygisian curses and, "Come back's!" They each rode their own paths that matched the specific colors of their bodies.

I ascended towards the sky, with Hartch gaining on me. He formed an ice chunk around his hand, then roared and catapulted it towards me. I dodged, and the black ice cracked into a red Phrygisian's temple, knocking him out and sending him plummeting towards the snow far below.

I laughed. "You _still_ suck at shooting!"

He glared darkly, which gave me chills for a mysterious reason. Hartch's eyes flashed bright blue, and I felt a familiar sensation of hate towards him. Practically possessed by my rage, I dipped below him and grabbed his feet through the frost. He gasped, trying to kick me, but I sharpened a spear of ice around my hand, and sliced brutally up through his leg and out of the top of his thigh. The black Phrygisian screamed at seeing me cut through his entire limb, plus the amount of blood that cascaded down, covering me. Hartch's eyes closed and his body went limp as he too, fell the hundreds of feet to Phrygis's surface.

I turned my head away before he hit the ground, and began to defend myself from the terrorizing Phrygisians that streaked the skies in hopes to slay me. I knocked several heads, threw a green male into a mountaintop, and even sliced through a guy who tackled me. He was heavier and more broad shouldered than I was, and we plunged almost back to the snow. I had then manipulated ice around both arms, stabbing through his armored gut and out his back. I threw him into a deep ice mine shaft, hearing loud clanks and booms as he dropped through the place.

I suddenly snapped out of my killing thoughts, remembering that I had hurt my own kind. Even murdered. But it was for good purpose, right? They were the ones trying to assassinate me in the first place. Samus executed nearly every day, so why should I differ?

My mind had wandered, causing me to descend from the great chilling heights and onto the snow safely. I looked around the endless drifts, spotting a few curved silhouettes against the auroras. I was prepared for attack, but then recognized the war-class fighter ships that moored silently on a natural stone dock. My heart fluttered. I had found a way to escape!

I ran to the ships, thanking the heavens for this blessing. I swiftly got into one, and was about to freeze my body to the seat when something small tackled me with a loud wail. The pound was insanely powerful, and I was jerked out of the ship and onto the frozen ground.

The tiny white thing that Daygon had earlier was punching and biting me. I swatted at it, and eventually made my mark, sending the glowing body a few feet away. My hand tingled after touching it.

It got back up, its red eye studying me scrutinizingly. I stood, hands tensed and ice covered. I was in a squatting position, slightly bending my knees and keeping my gaze glued to whatever this thing was.

I shrieked and catapulted itself towards me, opening a gaping mouth that was filled with rows of sharp fangs. I shot a freezing blast on it, encasing the creature in a solid block that nearly broke on the ground. I caught it before, laughing in triumph. "You can't beat Rundas, little guy," I patted the top of it, and held it under my arm as I got into the first ship I saw. "You can't beat me."

I froze myself to the cockpit, making a see through ice window and lifting the vessel off the ground with my abilities. These ships ran on ice, and operated for Phrygisians only, which made them useful in battles. They were, however, very sensitive to heated attacks, and have had cases of melting wings and noses.

I was well over the planet, with only a few miles to go before I entered the upper atmosphere. I was extremely tired, but had just enough energy to divide between staying awake and piloting.

Something whooshed past my window in a blur, and I turned my head quickly to see if I could catch it again. Then there was a heavy thunk on the hull, and I looked to see Armant, her eyes bluely ablaze with fury. She was holding two extremely long knives, and gasped with growls that shot slight fear into me. She started hacking at the window, and since there was nothing I could do but try to shake her off, I let her commence with trying to break the ice.

I swerved left and right, her body jerking along with the ship. "Get off!" I shouted, hovering up and down swiftly as well. Armant didn't falter, but finally dug the tip of one blade into the windshield.

She pulled her arm back, then with a vicious blow, the ice window shattered, with shards cutting into me as they blew into the open cockpit. Armant gripped the dashboard, with it cracking below her fingers. She leaned forward and hissed in my face with a voice that chilled my blood, _"You will never get away, Rundas! I know everything about you and what you do every second of every day! I know you weaknesses, your likes, your dislikes, and even those __of which you cherish. You will obey me, or face the consequences!!"_

I bared my teeth, and raised my arm. "Who are you to tell me that? Get away from me!" I shot a long and lethal ice spear that stabbed through Armant's throat and out her neck. She gasped, with her eyes flashing normal again and her breath choking in her now destroyed throat. I watched in terror as she clawed at her wound, her gore gushing from it and leaking from her open mouth. But, it didn't take long for death to take her, and Armant fell back, her dead eyes watching me blankly as I arose, and she plunged.

I closed my eyes, feeling horrible inside. The last memories I had of Phrygis had been gory and frightful. How would they remember me? Surely I would be known as the traitor, the liar.

The fool.

The creature incased in the ice squirmed in my lap, and I was reminded with a start that I had to leave Phrygis. With one last look at the ocean of snow, I remade the window, and ascended out of the thin atmosphere and into outer space.


	5. The Same

I sighed as I entered Galactic Federation territory. The small ships around darted here and there on their duties, but the larger ones were still. I looked around to see if I could recognize Olympus, but failed from this distance.

A heard a crack below me, and I looked down. A white blur rushed up and onto my face with screeching sounds, and I fought with the creature I had kidnapped as it crawled over my head and down my neck. I heard a buzz as it opened its mouth and tried to sink its teeth into me.

_Beep: _"Attention, unknown spacecraft, you are trespassing on Galactic Federation grounds," a male, human voice said as I wrestled with my miniature assaulter. "We need your identification if you are to proceed through."

"Uh, 26448!" I responded, finally grabbing the thing tight in my fist. I froze it with thicker ice that could withstand its tiny attacks. It pounded at the chilly prison. "You be quiet!" I growled.

"Excuse me?" The man on the intercom asked impatiently. "Did you just tell me to shut up?"

"No! I'd never do that!" I quickly said, realizing I had probably offended him. "I was only-"

I heard him grunt from the other line. "Just get going, Rundas," a green light on the dashboard signaled I was free to go. I relaxed, placing my hand on the ice sphere I trapped the monster in. "I don't have time for this today. My migraine is killing me."

With that lucky admittance, I sped forward and into the Federation property of space, scanning the ships for the G.F.S. Olympus. I read the letters that were painted on the sides of the crafts. G.F.S. _Jupiter, Conquerer, DuMort, Percival, Viper..._ I scanned for a time, eventually finding what I needed.

I docked in the first bay I saw, ignoring the complaints of the Federation troops that guarded. "You can't land here! You need a pass!" One of them shouted.

I hopped out and shot the armored man a leer. "I don't _care_ for one thing. Even if I did get in trouble, would you be able to face me and live?" I sharpened ice around my hand and held the tip towards his neck. It was shiny enough to reflect the trooper's helmet. He gulped, and let me go free.

I smirked and swiveled around. "Didn't think so."

Something else crashed into the bay, grunts and metallic screeches ringing. I turned and saw the Ghor Fighter 2 crumpled and sparking on the floor. "Ugh, that's gonna be hard to repair..." The cyborg muttered with a scruffy voice as he sat up, rubbing his hard head.

I came over. "Ghor! What are you doing here?" This was a strange coincidence.

His gaze flicked to me, for when he was sitting down, he was the same height as I was. "I should be asking you the same thing," he got up, separating from his larger body. Now, he was a head shorter, also more frail and scrawny. His voice softened from being harsh and scratchy. "What is that in your hand?"

I looked down as he did to see the thrashing thing in the ice. I shrugged. "No idea. But it attacked me on Phrygis. Along with the rest of the people." I shuddered as the memories flooded back.

His eyes widened. "You too?"

I turned my head to the side in confusion. "What happened with you?"

"Well, the Wotans were friendly at first, but overnight they suddenly went amok. I barely escaped, and now," he angrily kicked the tool chest he had had before, which rattled and opened to reveal nothing inside. "they took my Elysian upgrades. I don't think my failure is going to end well."

I clenched my jaw. Something wasn't right here... While I was thinking, Ghor leaned down, squinting closely at the white creature. "That looks like the thing they tried to link my circuits into!"

"Who? This same little guy?" I was baffled, and disturbed. Were Phrygis and Wotan VII working together on something? Now I had a hunch something had been set up.

But what?

"Yes... They ambushed me once I was escaping. I had overheard them discussing shutting me down. They didn't like the 'state' I was in, saying that I couldn't be organic and robotic at the same time," he looked up to me. "Was that what they did to you too?"

I nodded. "Not in the exact way, though. My parents just wanted to kill me. Apparently I needed to be skillfully handled, so the entire planet had to gain up on me. I have to say... I didn't like killing some of my kin..." I remembered the dying gaze of Armant as she fell from me skewering her through the throat. I shuddered again, pushing the thought from my mind.

Ghor's face saddened. "I know what you mean. I slew about two dozen Wotans. They just kept coming... Each of their eyes ablaze with malice..."

I froze. "Were they blue?"

"Yes," he seemed a little perplexed. "But what does-!!" The same idea popped into both of our heads at the same time. "To Admiral Dane!" Ghor cried, standing and dashing away next to me, across the hanger and through the door.


	6. Connection

Ghor and I arrived after sprinting through the halls at the main command deck. Admiral Dane was snug in a chair, exhausted. His face was tired, and his limbs were cushioned in funny positions as he lightly snoozed with open eyes. We tromped up the ramp, and both halted once we saw Gandrayda sitting on a stool a few meters away.

"What is she doing here?" Ghor asked me, staring at her as she picked at the bandages a nurse was wrapping around her arms and legs. "Did we _all_ return unexpected?"

I shrugged. "Beats me. Gandrayda!" I called, her head snapping to me. "What happened to you?" Ghor and I approached, and the nurse was ordered snarly away by the purple girl.

"Got into a fight that was beyond belief. My boyfriend tried to kill me! Why in the world would he do that? I was only gone from Jovia XII for a few weeks!"

"More like a few months." I murmured to Ghor, who chuckled.

"Why aren't you in the infirmary? Shouldn't you have been healed there?" He asked her.

She snorted. "Why there? The last time I went to the infirmary some creep operated on my PED Suit thing. Why would I risk getting possibly raped? Besides, any human who works on aliens stares like you were something growing in their sink." She frowned, standing and brushing away neon indigo blood from her wrist. "So, why are you two here? I didn't know we got called back."

Ghor shrugged. "I don't think we all did, but our planets inhabitants attacked us, and we were forced to return to Olympus."

Her eyebrows raised. "Oh really? And you were both such chickens that you weren't able to fight back?"

I scowled. "You couldn't hurt your own boyfriend!"

Gandrayda's purple lips were pouty. "Hey, Semblent was absolutely crazy. Besides, he could transform into bigger things than I could. I tried you, Ghor's fighter 2, Samus, Berserker Lord, Space Pirate Militias and a bunch of other aliens that seemed powerful. But he ended up winning, and that's why I came to the Federation," her gaze trailed down towards the creature in my arms. "whatcha got there, Rundas?"

I held it up, hearing Dane snore. "Something that tried to eat me. Ghor got assaulted by it too, but-"

He finished my sentence for me. "I killed it."

Gandrayda shook her head, saying in a mock tone,"How bold you are to murder something that's only a foot long." She clapped her hands together, "Bravo, Ghor. Bravo."

He growled, clenching his fists and taking a step towards her, when Admiral Dane woke himself up when he sneezed. His eyes went wide as he stared around. "Rundas! Ghor! What are you two doing on the flagship?"

"We had to come back, sir. Something went terribly wrong on our planets." The robot responded, Gandrayda coming over and studying the creature. It hissed at her when she peered at its single red eye. "You see, I was assailed by the Wotans, as was Rundas with his fellow Phrygisians. Both have in common that the races each tried to execute us, saying we were inefficient and unstable. Now we think the onslaughts link to... uh... how do I put this frankly..." Ghor pondered, tapping his chin and bowing his head.

"Yes?" Dane urged after smacking his lips together.

"Dark Samus," Ghor finished insecurely. "We believe that Dark Samus has something to do with this."

The Admiral's facial expression didn't change from being drowsy. He merely turned around in his chair and typed on a console lazily, a screen lowering from the ceiling and facing us. The monitor was blue, but then it flickered to a video recording.

Noise came from speakers, and Admiral Dane turned up the volume so we could hear the screams of the Kriken that ran across the screen. Fires darted the area, and Federation soldiers lay dead or dying on the charcoaled ground. Aliens stumbled upon another, desperate to escape some oncoming force that plowed through the carnage. Several Kriken were caught, being dragged offscreen, while others who rebelled against the attack were shot cruelly. I watched in horror, and recognized glowing blue Phazon that covered the area. Some Kriken accidentally stepped in it and cried out as it crept up their legs, corrupting them and turning them into mindless soldiers that joined the battalion of mutated Space Pirates that were taking over the Kriken Empire.

An aerotrooper Pirate turned towards the camera, and with a crazed laugh, shot the screen, turning it black. The words _No Signal_ were in the bottom left corner, flashing red.

"Does any of this ring a bell?" Dane asked as we all turned our attention towards him. "The reason I'm so tired is because calls like this were being sent to the Galactic Federation from all across the Universe. We've been trying to answer them, to give these planets help, but, we have failed with the Kriken Empire, along with almost each one as you have seen. We have no idea why or how the Space Pirates are doing this, or who their new leader is. We know however, that it is someone far powerful than Dark Samus."

"But-" Ghor said.  "But nothing! Dark Samus was destroyed when Phaaze blew up, Ghor. Samus's memories tell us this. She couldn't have survived! That planet also eradicated all Phazon from the galaxies, but we still are seeing traces of it," he rubbed his forehead after shouting, and sighed. "I don't think we'll get so lucky with defeating the enemy this time. I just don't understand how they are making these attacks! The only thing we have that could be useful is something we can't study."

"Could we see it?" Gandrayda asked.

He turned and typed more on the keyboard, and the screen brought up a visual image of something I knew. "That's it, Gandrayda. That's all we've got."

Her eyes widened. "I know what that is! Rundas has one!"

All eyes shot towards the encased creature I held.


	7. Infiltration

We were in a science lab, observing the creature that was now in a transparent glass capsule. Cords and monitors were hooked up to the cell, and Ghor, Admiral Dane and I were listening to Gandrayda explain what it was.

"I've seen these things since I was a little kid. On Jovia XII they're called Xorth. But, in translation to english, we call them Chromia. Little fish like creatures that have the ability to communicate through telekinesis. Chromia like to group together in numbers since they are harmless, and talk to their herds with kind of a brain network. All of their minds are connected to the Head Chromin, which, the one that Rundas found, is a Head. You can tell by the thickness of the corneas," Gandrayda traced along the surface of the glass the Chromin's eye, which was very large and ruby-like. It hissed. "I bet you the Chromia that were on Phrygis were all members of the herd it had. You too, Ghor."

I was frazzled. "So they tried to put the Head Chromin onto me?"

She nodded. "I don't know why, though. Chromia usually seclude themselves from other Jovians and creatures of Jovia XII. More or less, it would have never come after you on its own."

A scientist approached, a clipboard in his arm. "I've done some scans. This Chromia has been exposed to high levels of Phazon. It's mutated from the original, defenseless creature it had been. Now it has a mind of its own, can alter how someone thinks, and will potentially control a body that is larger than itself," he flipped a few dials, and some x-ray lights came on. We could now see through the Chromia's body, which was pulsing blue. "Phazon literally breaths through it."

"But it doesn't make sense! How could Phazon be corrupting this thing if none of it is left in the galaxy?!" Admiral Dane complained, pounding his fist on a tabletop.

Ghor leaned towards me. "I told him, but did he listen? No..." I laughed a few times, trying to keep it silent as to not rub it in.

Gandrayda folded her arms. "Well, now we know that there's still some left-"

A transmission from the speakers on the walls interrupted her. "Attention all Galactic Federation personnel, we are being infiltrated by a massive fleet of three armies," Aurora Unit 242 warned. The panic lights blinked red, as did the computer and monitor screens. "warships from a trio of planets are attacking. Everybody get to battle stations or safety. Be armed with heated weaponry: we are being assailed by the Phrygisian swarm. Also use cloaking, the Jovians are present. And be cautioned, the Wotans are here with the largest ships."

"Go, go, go! You heard the AU! Get to battle stations, hunters!" Admiral Dane ordered, forcing us to escape the lab. Before I left, I grabbed the Chromia's case and cradled it under my arm.

"Where's Samus, Dane?" I asked over the loud alarms that started to blare once the ship lurched.

"She's safe, don't worry, Rundas. Last time I saw her she was doing some diagnostics on her suit, also getting upgraded," he responded as we ran down the halls behind Gandrayda and Ghor. "I wouldn't be surprised if she's out fighting the armies as we speak."

Sure enough, Samus's gunship soared past the window in the corridor, guns aimed towards the large horde of multi-purpose, multi-species shuttles. I stared. The invasion force was massive.

I stopped, with Dane skidding and looking behind him. "Are you coming?"

I shook my head. "I'm going to my ship,"

He nodded. "Be careful out there, Rundas. It's a mad war zone-" A bright light from a neighboring flagship caught his sentence as it exploded, Olympus shuddering in the aftershock and knocking everybody to the floor.

"What the heck was that?!" Gandrayda shouted.

"Wotan Eliminator!" Ghor replied as the lights flickered. "Except that was far more devastating. Ugh! I should've never taken that Elysian technology to Wotan VII, they've meliorated!"

"Were you out of your mind, Ghor?!" Dane screamed at him. "How could you lose something so powerful to a murderous race?!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The cyborg apologized several times, though I was sure he hadn't meant it. "They attacked me by surprise, I didn't think they would take it!"

A squadron of twelve Phrygisian battleships zoomed across the window, and more of the occupants in the hall cried out in fear. Six of the ships reared right, pillars of hollow ice shooting from the sides and breaking the hallway's outer wall. I recognized the boarding process, and shoved the Admiral forward. "Get moving!" He obeyed my rough handling, and fell in running step behind Gandrayda and Ghor as they approached a security door.

They stood aside for Dane to type in the pass code. He frantically typed in the combination as six Phrygisian men barged into Olympus. "Where's Rundas?" One of them called, and I panicked: they found me. "There he is! Get him!"

All of them flocked towards me, forming ice around their hands lethally. I whipped around as the Admiral finished keying, kicking the door down and throwing the three of them into the next hall. I dove in and slammed it shut right when the Phrygisians were almost upon me. Thuds and grunts came from the other side as they collided with the door.

Panting, we each were in a daze. "They want you?" Gandrayda said breathlessly, staring at the locked porthole.

I shrugged, getting up from lying on the ground. "I don't know. But if they do, then we need to get out as soon as possible. I don't want to put anybody else at risk."

The Jovian, Wotan, and human nodded, standing and following me as I walked down the empty hallway. I felt a nagging at the corner of my thoughts, like I was... missing something...

I looked down in shock to find I was empty-handed.

The Chromia gone.


	8. Recruit Attempts

"No! I lost it!" I exclaimed, clutching my head. Through all that confusion, it must've gotten away from my grasp. What a fool I was to misplace the Chromin! It could be anywhere... Or taking control of any_one_.

"You lost the Chromia?" Gandrayda moaned, raising an eyebrow. "How could you? The thing's this big!" She made an approximate foot long measurement with her hands. "You're such an idiot sometimes-"

"Hey!"

"Both of you quit it. We need to get you each to your ships so we can fight back the invasion. Let's go!" Admiral Dane ordered, making us end our spat and march towards the docks. "You're acting like children in a time like this."

"She started it..." I mumbled, low enough for only myself to hear. "How strong are the Wotans, Ghor?" I rose my voice so he could listen.

"Copiously strong. An army that big, combined with the Phrygisians and the Jovians is going to be tough to beat, if not impossible."

"That's reassuring," Gandrayda grunted, shooting me a vicious glare. "How are we going to manage?"

Ghor sighed. "I have no idea whatsoever."

"But you always do!" I protested, seeing no reason why he shouldn't know how to fight back efficiently. Ghor _always_ had a plan. "Like on Phaaze, how we got out of there?"

"That was all me! I'm the one to turned into Noxux's Delano 7!" Gandrayda complained. "Shouldn't I get some credit?"

"Fighting again?" Dane growled. "You three are gonna give me a headache. Is it Samus that keeps your enormous egos tame?"

"What's it to you?" The Jovian replied icily. Dane gave her slitted eyes that were so cold, I could feel it. She recoiled. "Sorry I said it, then."

We finally arrived at the shuttle docks, where many small ships were landing and being repaired. I recognized Samus's fighter, which made my heart skip a beat and my internal temperature increase. She was standing near it, talking with an officer carrying a tool box.

I separated from Admiral Dane, Gandrayda and Ghor, jogging towards the huntress. She heard my approach, and turned her head. I couldn't see her face because it was hidden beneath her visor, but she seemed elated and glad to see me. "Rundas! What are you doing here? I thought you were on Phrygis?"

"I was," I replied. "but something happened and now I'm here."

She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "What went on?"

"Uh... Well the Phrygisians attacked me. And now they're going after the Federation." I said, feeling a tad silly. Though, the reason was unknown to me.

"Interesting..." Samus muttered, dismissing the officer and looking past me. "They came back too? I guess we couldn't stand being away from each other so long, huh?" She cheerily spoke, gesturing them over. "Did the same thing happen to you guys?"

Gandrayda and Ghor were about to nod, but were interrupted by a bright teal flash that came from the opening of the hanger. Jovian ships that were veined with green and blue landed in the bay, with Jovian people who glowed like Gandrayda coming from the hatches. There were men and women. The women looked like the Jovian I knew, with pinks, purples and ceruleans for their hues, but with different pronged 'hair' styles and a variety of body shapes. The men were mostly mirages of reds and oranges, with spines of 'hair' on the tops of their heads that made them similar to porcupines. The males were broader shouldered, and were taller and more muscular than the females.

Once all the passengers had exited, the ships transformed into a single Jovian for each of the two vessels that had docked. The twenty seven Jovians facing only the five of us.

"Semblent?" Gandrayda breathed, staring at one individual who was deep, crimson blood colored. "What are you doing here?"

He smirked, his yellow colored teeth sharp and scissor like. "Why coming to recruit you, babe. You know, Dray, you could make this easier and just come quietly."

Ghor stepped between Semblent and Gandrayda. "You're not touching her, Jovian. Not while I'm still living."

He squared his shoulders, the surrounding aliens slinking around the hanger like wolves to prey. The three hunters and I all tensed for battle, and Admiral Dane joined by unsheathing a pistol from his utility belt. "Very well, then, traitor Wotan. I'll just have to kill you. Although," Semblent's body erupted red electricity, and the rest of the Jovians bodies went static as well. "the Master won't be pleased to hear we disposed of you." He clenched his fists, discs of vermillion energy radiating from his hands. "But, what's life with a few risks, huh?

_"Zrevak, jaa!!"_

The Jovians advanced in a tidal wave of bolts and bodies, shocking our small group and striking each of us immobilized before we even had the chance to attack. We all were lying on the ground in an instant, and my vision was clouded once I watched the Semblent pull something white and blobby from a cylindrical capsule. He lowered it towards me-

"Hey! Get your filthy Jovian hands off Rundas, you creep!!" Somebody shrieked, and all heads turned to the right. I could barely move, and instead listened to the Jovian battalion be wasted single-handedly by a person wielding a mighty gun.

After the screams and macabre ended, my sight was starting to clear. I sat up slightly, a little stiffly, and saw that the hanger floor was littered with Jovian bodies of all shapes, colors, and gender, each unconscious or dead. I looked to my comrades, who were breaking free of their temporary paralyzation and were glancing around to see who had saved us.

Familiar, teal, dainty feet stepped in front of me, with a smoking weapon barrel resting on the ground. Curious and delirious, I looked up to see the face of my little sister Raein.

She grinned happily, small, kiddish face lighting up with joy. "Hey, Rundas! I just saved your butt, didn't I?"


	9. The Second Stowaway

I stared, and got to my feet. Raein seemed smaller than she usually was once I stood at full height. "Aren't you glad to see me, big brother?" She asked ecstatically.

"I'm _surprised _to see you're here!" I replied in a very stern voice. Raein's beaming expression disappeared as I became irritated. "Why did you come here, Raein?" I paused. "More like _how_ did you get here?"

She looked down, swiveling the tip of her foot on the ground from left to right. "Maybe I stowed away on a ship so I could follow you..."

"What?!" Raein cringed. "You could have been discovered! More or less _killed!" _I shouted, growing angry. "I would never forgive myself if you got hurt! Now you get on a ship and back to Phrygis or so help me-"

"Rundas! Gosh, give the kid a break!" Gandrayda snarled, standing next to Raein. She was as tall as the adolescent was, but only by the purple plumes on her head. "If I had some sort of sibling I would've come along too."

"But she's only eight years old. She shouldn't be in the middle of a war!" I protested, giving the youth a dissatisfactory glance. "I'm only thinking of what's best for Raein, Gandrayda."

"Cut her some slack!" She repeated, crossing her arms. "You're starting to sound like a strict father. You're only what, twenty five? six? Chill for a bit, dude. Jeez!"

I heavily exhaled, rubbing my brow. Could this day get any worse? "All right. I'll 'chill'. But," I jabbed a finger towards Raein. "you're going back home."

"Rundas-"

"No!" I snapped, my sister jumping at my sudden ferocity. "In fact, since you refuse, I'll escort you back to Phrygis myself." I snatched up her hand and pulled her behind me. "Let's go."

She dug her heels into the floor with grinding noises. "But I don't want to! You can't tell me what to do, you're not mom and dad!"

"I'm your brother, Raein. I've gone through being an unwanted hitchhiker and I don't want the same thing to happen to you. Now come _on_," I grunted, yanking her next to me with a resonating pop of her shoulder. "you're being unreasonable."

"Ow! That hurt!"

"Stow it."

A few seconds later a voice shouted from behind. "Raein!" My sister turned back, but I kept going. "Do you know what the Phrygisians are doing here?"

She nodded quickly, "Uh-huh!"

"Rundas, stop!" Ghor demanded.

I stood about a foot from the door, gritting my teeth. I turned, shooting the Wotan a glare that could have blown a hole through his head. "Why?" I hissed, balling my fists. Raein whimpered as I crushed her hand by accident.

"Raein could be of use to us. Maybe we'll be able to find out what the armies are attacking for, and maybe give us insight on who their leader is from her inside information," Samus, Gandrayda, and Admiral Dane looked at me eagerly, wanting me to approve and not send my sister away. "I know it will be dangerous, but we could use all the help we can grasp."

I glanced to Raein, who was making the biggest puppy dog eyes, along with a pleading face that I was immune to denying. I sighed heavily with relent, letting go of her bruised palm and walking back to the small group. She skipped, smiling broadly as we joined the others. "So, what are your guys's names?"

The human saluted. "I'm Fleet Admiral Castor Dane. A pleasure to meet you, Raein."

She giggled, and I imagined her laughing over his title. "You, Jovian?"

"I'm Gandrayda." She gave her a smile with full, violet lips.

"My name is Ghor." The Wotan spoke when Raein turned her head towards him.

She looked lastly to the armored huntress, making a puzzled face. "And you are...?"

"Samus Aran," she responded in the velvet voice that made my heart melt. I sighed to myself, finally realizing that she was okay, and that she was standing in this very same room. Why hadn't I acknowledged that before? Was it the battle? Raein's abrupt arrival? I didn't know, nor did I care now. All I paid attention to was that she was here, I was here, and nothing else.

"Cool. So, where to?" Raein asked.

Dane responded. "We should most likely get out of this hanger. There's no telling when these Jovians will wake up and if another ship come in. Plus, I don't want any opposing forces to hear what you have to say. I know the perfect place. Follow me." He turned on his heel and we followed him slowly as we left the dock.

Walking down the hall, Gandrayda and Ghor were chatting amongst themselves ahead, with Samus strolling to my left, and Raein at my right. "Hey Rundas," the child whispered, and I bent over to listen. "Which one did you say was your girlfriend?"

"What?" I spluttered noisily, twisting my head towards Samus. She hadn't noticed. I reverted my gaze to Raein. "What are you talking about?"

"Well you said on Phrygis that you had a girlfriend that wasn't our kind. I was just wondering which girl it was."

"Sh! Be quiet, she doesn't know I like her," I whispered, avoiding eye contact with anybody. "You shouldn't be worrying about that, you're only eight."

"You're turning red, Rundas," She crooned, a playful smirk on her face.

I felt my face, which was burning and left tingles when I touched it. "So?"

"So which girl is it? C'mon, I wanna know!"

I watched Samus carefully, mindful of keeping my voice down. "Her."

Raein's eyes went starry. "Really? Is she always in that armor?"

I shook my head. "Not all the time. She occasionally takes it off."

"I bet she's got a pretty nice bod, too, huh? Do you get an eyeful?" I smacked her lightly upside the head. "Ow! I was just curious." After a couple of paces, Raein asked in a smooth tone, "Does she have a sexy butt?"

I hit her harder. "Shut up!"

Raein rubbed the back of her head, giggling uncontrollably. "Like a tomato..."

I looked to Samus, who hadn't caught a single trace of our awkward (and embarrassing) conversation. She merely walked normally, with her swaying hips and shining plating. The light bounced off the Varia Suit prettily, and I was caught staring in the gleams of her smooth curves. The gun fastened on her right arm meant nothing to me. I could just picture Samus's long, flowing blond hair, sparkling cerulean eyes and breathtaking smile. How beautiful she was. As gorgeous as the galaxies and stars themselves.

We stopped, and I almost ran into Ghor. Admiral Dane was keying the code to enter a secluded and sealed room labeled R89. I watched him type 49265 as the access digits, and the red bar of light on the door flash green, then it slide into the wall. The Admiral stepped aside for each of us to go inside, and once we all were, he closed the door and commanded the AU to bolt us in.

"All right, let's get down to business."


	10. Extra Assistance

"So what do you know, Raein?" Admiral Dane asked once we were seated down around a table. "Why is the Federation being attacked? Is there a motive behind it?"

My little sister nodded. "Yep. I overheard a few Phrygisians in the ship I was in say that Rundas was a straggler or something. They also referred to someone named Mother. I have no idea who it is, but they talked about her with the most honor and pride I've ever heard. They talked about these things called Chromia, and how they had failed to put one on you when they were on Phrygis," she spoke directly to me. "I don't know what the heck a Chromia is, or why they need to stick one on you, but they sounded like they meant business."

"A Chromia, Raein, is a small creature that has the ability to control a larger body's mind," Gandrayda explained. "they are ruthless and uncanny now; more motivated than ever to get what they want."

"It doesn't make sense as to why they're suddenly acted this way." Ghor pondered, scratching his chin. "They're usually harmless. Do you know why they've gone bad?"

My sibling shook her head. "Nope. I only heard them talking about what I just told you. So were the Chromia the small white things that were latched onto the backs of their necks?" She asked, looking to Gandrayda in question.

"You can see them?" Samus said, leaning over the table slightly.

Raein nodded. "As clear as day. They poke little claw things inside their necks, and then the Chromia's bodies kind of harden so they matched the strength of the Phrygisian armor. I almost missed them, but saw the white against the green and knew something wasn't right."

"Interesting... So you're saying we could pull a Chromia off somebody's neck?" Ghor asked, looking around the table.

"I'm not sure that's safe, Ghor. For all we know, we could damage the mind of the victim. We don't want to risk hurting anybody else," Samus said with a hint of worry.

"I suppose you're right. I don't understand though," he added. "why they've only tried to put a Chromia on Rundas and not Gandrayda and I."

"That is a bit peculiar... Would you know why, Raein?" The huntress asked my sister, who perked up once she was caught off guard.

"What? Uh... no! I wouldn't know why they'd only try to get Rundas." She said quickly, a slight squawk in her tone. "Although, he is pretty awesome, why wouldn't they want him?"

I glanced at her with a smidgen of curiosity. "Thank you. I guess..." I muttered the last sentence to myself. Was it good or bad to be desired by the enemy?

I didn't get a chance to consider it, for a little bleep came from Admiral Dane. He looked to his arm. "Yes, lieutenant?" He asked it.

A woman replied, "Sir, a bioform is here to speak with Samus Aran. Apparently, it's urgent."

"Well? Who is it?"

A knowledge sleek, deep voice came from Dane's forearm. "Hunter, I have heard of the condition the Galactic Federation is in. I wish to give our services."

Samus leaned forward. "U-Mos?"

"Yes," the alien responded. "it is I. Sentinel of the Aether. I have brought with me from my planet the remains of the Luminoth race, all eager to assist you with our variety of weaponry."

"Send him in!" Samus urged the Admiral. "They're the good aliens we fought for when Aether was split in two!"

He nodded. "Very well. Lieutenant, confirm Luminoth request for entry, allow them to proceed and to the sound-proof room on R89."

"Yes, sir."

"What's a U-Mos?" I leaned towards Ghor, whispering to him.

He shrugged. "Seems to be an old friend of Samus's. Perhaps a comrade or ally."

I wasn't excited to meet him, though the reason I couldn't find. I slumped in my seat, seeing Samus grow excited and Raein look at me with watchful eyes. "What?" I asked my sister, and she shrugged, mumbling.

About seven minutes later, the door to R89 opened, a tall, peculiar creature ducking in. He was larger than the doorway, and bent his long legs to get inside. He almost touched the low ceiling. The creature U-Mos had small wings, with little feather like appendages on his head. His eyes were large and red, and he had a furry chest. Vermillion streaks lined his skinny body and limbs. He bowed low when he saw Samus, and the huntress stood as well, genuflecting too.

She went to him, and his eyes were softer than they had been. "I am pleased to see you in good health, hunter. I was concerned for you when you left Aether."

"You didn't have to worry. I was fine." She assured, presenting the Luminoth before the aliens in the room. "Everyone, this is U-Mos. And these are Gandrayda," Samus motioned to the Jovian. "Ghor," pointing towards the Wotan who grinned. "Admiral Dane," to the human. "and Rundas and Raein."

The others nodded in greeting, but I just stared in disapproval. I didn't like him already, and leaned back in my chair with boredom. "Seat yourself, U-Mos. We need your help." Admiral Dane suggested kindly, and the Luminoth sat awkwardly down in a small chair across the table from Raein. She looked at him inquisitively, and he gave a little nod of his head, drumming his three fingers on the desktop softly.

"So what weapons do you have in your arsenal, U-Mos?" Samus asked with interest, clearly more optimistic than before. How was she so fond of him?

"A wide range of Luminoth weaponry fueled and supported by the Light of Aether. I do hope they will provide with enough firepower to deal with the three armies outside your doorstep."

Right as he said that, the ship rocked, and a deep boom sounded. The blow was strong, and a few of us hit our heads on the table by accident. I rubbed my forehead, glancing to Admiral Dane. "We should probably be fighting instead of sitting here. U-Mos, are the Luminoth at standby?"

"Ready to battle at your command, Admiral," he replied, towering high above us when he rose from the chair. "Shall we proceed?"

"Affirmative. Let's go, people! Lives are on the line!" Dane unlocked the door, and each of us filed out. "We need to stay together. Buddy up in twos, and make sure nobody gets left behind as we go to the loading docks."

Gandrayda paired with Ghor, and the girl forced her arm to link with his. He flushed slightly red, and uttered a low giggle before proceeding down the hall. The Admiral ordered Samus with him. "I'd feel much safer if I was with you. Are you fine with that?"

She nodded. "Sure," she seemed hesitant a little, and turned back to me. "I don't mind."

I gave her a smile, which concealed my cross feelings for U-Mos. "Go ahead. I'll just hang with Raein and the Luminoth." My sister stood close to me, and the other alien came to my side as well.

"Well, it is not a tandem, but it will suffice." U-Mos said all sophisticated-like, and we proceeded with following the others as they trekked down the corridor.

Almost a minute later, a large fighter ship's wing scraped a hole into our window, glass shattering and the air in the passage whooshing into space. I gasped and gripped a pipe on the ceiling, whilst the others held onto the things that were solid and closest to them. U-Mos wrapped his hands around a door handle, but Raein, however, wasn't as quick to think, and was swept off her feet and towards the opening.

I turned and shot my arm out as she screamed. Letting go of the tube I clenched, I found Raein's hand and held it tight. She looked to me, halting her wailing and holding her breath. I only then realized I had been stupid enough to release my grasp on the conduit, and panic overcame me as we sucked towards zero gravity, and absolutely no oxygen.

My wrist was clamped by a trio of fingers. I stared as U-Mos pulled me in with surprising strength, taking Raein and I back into the hall to safety. "Thank you," I breathed, my sister leaning her delicate head against my shoulder as she panted.

He smiled. "Life is precious, and should not be wasted on those who hold spite."

"What do you mean?"

"I can see you are not very fond of me. You are protective of Samus, I inquired as soon as I saw you. Do not envy me, Rundas. We have only known each other because she saved my planet."

I was taken aback. _Envious_? I hadn't though of myself acting that way... Whatever. I didn't really care about what he said. "Yeah... Anyway, thanks for saving us."

U-Mos simpered faintly. "You are very welcome."

Dane and the others approached. "Is everyone all right?"

"I think so-!!" I sucked in a breath as the wide panels of glass cracked, the remaining air in the hall roaring out. Admiral Dane, Samus, Gandrayda and Ghor had only a second to twist their heads to the side in shock before they were whipped out of passage and into space. "Samus!!!" I screamed, and foolishly tried to go after her.

U-Mos held me back. "We cannot save her, Rundas! She is already too far away!" He shouted over the loud gusts and pulled Raein and I towards a door. He opened it and dragged us inside, sealing the exit from the suction. It got quiet, except for our breathing and the soft bangs from guns of the war zone.

He had taken us to a separate hallway, which was lined with more doors and more windows. I stood and looked out, seeing that I couldn't spot my lost comrades.

"We must go to the shuttles, then we may be able to find Samus and the others. I nodded, looking to Raein. She was pale, and her limbs were shaking. I put my hand on her shoulder, finding it cold.

"Are you all right, Raein? You don't look so good." I said softly.

She nodded once. "I'll be okay," she murmured. "Just... not..." Raein collapsed suddenly, trailing off as she hit the floor.

I kneeled down quickly and frantically. "What's wrong with her?" I said in a fluster, placing my hands on her chilled skin.

U-Mos got to his knees as well, examining the young female Phrygisian. "I do not know. Perhaps she suffered severe shock or stress. She is unconscious, and will not wake for a time." He looked at me, almost emotionless. "We will have to carry her with us."

I slid my arms underneath my sister, taking her up and over my shoulder. Then I fitted her loose arms and legs between my arms in a piggy-back position. She didn't jostle around much, and I felt her breath deeply on my back. "Will this work?"

"Whatever you think will be adequate, Rundas." U-Mos said. "Now, do you know where your ship is docked?"

I nodded. "Follow me, then?"

"Yes. Lead the way," he stretched his extensive arm down the hallway, and I obeyed his gesture and began walking towards the bay.


	11. Who Is She?

U-Mos and I had traveled for about five minutes, with Raein still out cold on my back. I worried for her unceasingly.

"How is she?" the Luminoth asked. I looked at the youth's closed eyes. Raein was still numb. Nothing had been amiss with her before. What had happened so suddenly? What was wrong with her little body?

"Same as she was." I replied, continuing to walk. I focused on my feet: _Left, right, left right,_ instead of fretting about the safety of Samus, Gandrayda, Ghor, Admiral Dane and my only sibling. "You okay, U-Mos?"

"I have been better," he responded after a quiet pause.

"What do you mean?"

"I feel... uneasy about this situation... Like something is wrong..." His voice was troubled.

"What makes you say that?"

I turned my head back and looked into his red eyes. They were clouded with nervousness, and an unsettling air was about him. "I am unsure." He finally said.

I sighed. "It'll turn out. Everything always does."

"I'd like to believe that, Rundas. Thank you for being hopeful."

We strolled in silence for a few minutes before the Phrygisian on my back stirred and moaned. I froze, and glanced back to Raein as she opened her eyes blearily. "What happened?" She said in an exhausted voice.

"You passed out. Do you want to lay down?" I didn't give her a chance to accept, already gently taking her off my back and propping her against the wall. I made sure she didn't bump her arms or legs on anything. "How do you feel?"

"A little queasy..." Raein muttered, holding her head and closing her lids slowly.

I looked around. "Is there something that can treat nauseousness?"

"I suppose anti-motion sickness injections would do. There is a medical pack over there," U-Mos said, pointing to a white box with a red cross on it attached to the wall. I stood, walking over and placing my hands on it.

I tore the container off its snaps, turning around and taking it back to my sister. She opened her eyes once I kneeled, and smiled feebly. But once I held up the syringe filled with head clearing formula, she went rigid. "No! Don't poke me with that!"

I chuckled. "Aw come on, Raein. You're not scared of a tiny needle, are you? It's going to make you feel better."

"I'll get better by myself!" She argued, standing as non-shakily as she could. She walked a few paces, a bit off balance, but managed to go in a semi-straight path. "See? I'm perfectly fine!" Raein stumbled, tipping to the side dangerously. "Whoa!!" Then the girl toppled over, smacking the side of her head with a thump against the floor.

U-Mos and I got up, coming to her aid. I gave her a humorous, I-told-you-so look, and she replied with sticking her purple tongue out. I scooped her up and held her tight, making sure the youth wouldn't squirm free. "All right, U-Mos. Jab her."

Raein ran her skull repeatedly into my shoulder as hard as she could. "No! No! No!" She complained as the Luminoth came to us, holding the booster in between his fingers. "I don't want a hypo!"

"Too bad, you're gonna have one." I commanded, U-Mos puncturing a few layers of her soft skin. She whimpered shrilly, her small body tensing. I snuggled her. "You're all right, Raein, you're all right." I felt her fingers close around one of my tentacles, and she squeezed it lightly.

The injector then pressed the plunger of it down, the medication gushing into Raein's arm and through her blood stream. She was biting her lip, face pinched into pain and fear. U-Mos removed the needle shaft from her skin, which leaked blue. Afterward, he grabbed a tissue and wiped the wound clean, placing a bandage over the microscopic hole.

Raein seemed expectant. "That's it?" She wondered, giving U-Mos and I looks that were unsatisfied. "I flipped out over that?" We nodded, and I laughed inside. I could now tell my sister was a bit of a drama queen. "Gosh, that wasn't so bad. Why didn't you tell me?"

I smiled. "Feeling better?"

"Much! But, can you still carry me, Rundas?" Her faced had regained its glow.

"Of course."

"We shall commence going back to the docks, yes?" U-Mos asked. I nodded and he began walking. "I will lead."

Raein cuddled against me as we followed the Luminoth, her heart beats steady and her breathing calm. She was rubbing one of her six fingers on my chest, tracing random curls and patterns that had no meaning. "Why are you so into Samus?"

U-Mos's feathered appendages perked up slightly. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"You always look at her like... there's something else you want... You have a huge crush on her and I see that gleam in your eye like you want to hold her. Any reason for your obsession?"

I felt a bit hot. "Well Samus is an example to me, I guess. I look up to her for several reasons. Like, how she didn't hesitate to fight me on Bryyo-"

"Bryyo? Why did she fight you?"

I sighed. "I wasn't... myself, Raein..." I didn't want to remember that. Did she have to ask now?

"What do you mean?" Her voice changed from mildly curious to intensely interested. Her gaze was demanding. I sensed U-Mos was intrigued as well.

"Someone basically overcame me. I couldn't think for my own sake." I finally replied, my heart sinking as I pictured Samus's face once she found out I had been corrupted.

"Who was it?" Raein wondered, stopping the trailing of her fingers on me.

"..."

"Aren't you gonna tell me, Rundas?"

"You may not know her," I said after a deep, mindful breath. "the being's name was Dark Samus." In a flash, the black huntress tainted my thoughts, and I listened to her malicious laughter. I almost _heard_ it... Or was I just imagining things?

Raein went stiff, and U-Mos's shoulders slumped. "She sounds scary," her tone was fearful, with a slight quiver.

"Believe me, Raein," my voice was low, frightened as well. "she scares me."

"She does?" I glanced down at her, cradled in my arms like a baby. Only she wasn't a baby, just an eight year old Phrygisian with large, questioning eyes. "How can you be scared, Rundas? I thought older brothers never got scared."

"Everybody gets scared once in a while. It's natural. You can't avoid being afraid of something." I tried to lighten my voice so I didn't sound too intimidated by the huntress. She was supposed to be dead, right? "What are you afraid of?"

She thought for a moment. "I'm not really sure. My schoolteacher is freaky. I don't like the dark. And now that I think about Dark Samus... I'm scared of her too."

I patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, Raein," I assured the two of us. "she's dead, and will never return. She and the planet she was on blew up. No more evil. Gone. Deceased." I gave my sister a smile, and she returned it. "You don't have to worry."

"Are you sure?" 

"Positive."


	12. Lie

The three of us arrived at a docking bay, where many sleek Luminoth vessels were docked. Each of them were heavily damaged, with broken parts and fuel leaks that pooled the floors. I inhaled the heavy reek of lubricant, coughing a few times. Other Luminoth were repairing their ships, asking one another for assistance and working diligently. They were different in the markings that colored them, but their height and attributes were nearly as identical to U-Mos's.

"That smells bad. Could I sit down?" Raein asked me.

I agreed, lowering her gently to the floor and following U-Mos to the others of his kind. "Don't go near that oil, okay? Stay away from it." I warned the girl, and she nodded, hugging her knees to her chest and covering her nose.

I stood across from U-Mos as he communicated in Luminoth tongue to another male a small brook of grease separating us. He spoke in vibrating, strange tones, and I had a hard time contemplating even what I _thought_ they said to each other. I turned back to Raein, checking on her. She was curled into a ball, glancing around the hanger with little interest.

"Rundas," I returned my attention to U-Mos as he translated for me. "our ships are in need of advanced restoring as you can see. However, they can accommodate up to eight passengers. We may be able to bring Samus and the others on board if we find them."

I smiled. "Perfect. So, how long until we can get these things back online?"

He turned to the other Luminoth, muttering more of the weird language. "About twenty minutes."

I was worried. I knew that Samus could breathe with the oxygen in her suit, but what about Ghor, Gandrayda and Admiral Dane? "All right, I guess we'll just-"

U-Mos's eyes went wide as he stared past me, and he reached forward and shoved me away from him. "Look out!"

I stumbled back as a flare of ultramarine shot up from the floor, lighting up the bay brightly blue. I watched the twenty foot blazes lick the ceiling with hisses, and then the fire dart across the lubricant streaming the floors. The flames found the Luminoth ships, and each of the six vessels exploded with bangs that forced me to cover my ears. I watched in horror as our only way of transportation was destroyed.

I had forgotten Raein, and turned swiftly to see if she was okay. I stared at my sister, who was now standing, with a mysteriously acquired gun aimed towards the conflagrations, barrel smoking. Her face was contorted into pure seriousness. "Raein?" I realized the gun was actually a part of her right arm.

And her eyes were deep blue.

I took a step back, my beliefs spinning and practically getting crushed. "No!! It can't be!!"

Raein threw her head back and began to laugh. Her voice deepened from being youthful and spunky, to mature and cruel.

Her body flashed and morphed till it wasn't Phrygisian anymore, and standing with the biggest air of triumph and conquering surrounding her, was Dark Samus.

"You have got to be the most gullible person I've ever seen, Rundas. You actually believed your parents would give up on you and spawn another?" Her voice was as icy and sharp as I remembered it.

"Raein wasn't real?" I gawked, my words returning to me.

"Of course she wasn't!" The resurrected hunter screeched. "You're a fool for thinking it! I had to change my form. It was simple. Just take some of the Phrygisian female looks, lower my age and height, and then alter my voice- ta-daa! I've tricked everyone! You realize you had been holding _me_, touching _me_, and caring for _me,_ all this time?" she smirked evilly, which sent chills throughout my stiff body. "I have to say, you have a gentle touch. I really enjoyed being cradled in your strong arms."

I looked the dark huntress up and down. Her suit was almost the same, except her fore armor and calf armor was drawn to the tips in three spikes. The black tint was blacker, with more blue Phazon veins dashing up and down. Her complexion was extremely sinister, and I found my courage cowering deep. I noticed however, that Dark Samus's posture was slouched a hint, and her breathing was quick. "Now I know the luxury Samus has of being your comrade."

I watched her closely, the Phazon fires roaring behind us casting eerie shadows that stretched from her armored feet and flickered around the room. Her weapon was locked on my position, unwavering and ready to shoot at any moment. "How did you enjoy Jake? I had a Metroid specifically bond with him to kill the hunters. But," she sighed with discontent. "he failed. Along with the rest of my attempts to try and seduce you with Chromia."

"You've been sending those out?" I gasped, starting to sweat slightly. The heat aided with the intensity I felt at finding out Dark Samus was alive, with a powerful motive and even more powerful body.

"Of course! These little things are the key to my success. I now have under my control sixteen armies from all across the universe, and each of them are targeted on the Galactic Federation. But, in more detail, _you_."

"Why do you need me?"  She chuckled, and I remembered the tone my mother had chortled with. The two women's voices were the same. "Don't you know anything? The link between us still stands. And even though I don't look it, I'm lacking power..." Dark Samus trailed off and lowered her gun, grabbing her helmet and exhaling a growl. "I crave it. After all those Chromia, the battalions I need to single-handedly control, and fooling you with the whole Raein hoax, I've overdone it. I am hungry for energy, and you, Rundas, are going to provide it for me."

My eyes widened. "What? Why do you expect me to help you?"

"Because if you don't, there are going to be consequences. Like I said on Phrygis through that ditzy Armant, _you can never escape me!"_

Dark Samus reached up, curling her clawed fingers around her palm. Pain shot up into my chest from the pit of my stomach, and I grunted. She approached, and without my controlling, made me freeze my own feet to the ground. I fell to my knees as she stood at my height, maliciously grinning. "I love seeing you in pain. It really brightens my day. Now," I watched out of the corner of my eye a Chromia dash up to the huntress, scaling her leg and torso, crawling onto her wrist and purring. "would you rather be controlled by a Chromin or by me?"

"I would rather die than serve you!" I hissed, spitting upon her shoes.

Dark Samus pulled her foot back, snarling. She kneeled, staring at me to the point where even her gaze caused me agony. I groaned again, pinching my eyes shut and refusing to look at her. "How about I choose instead?"

I felt her cold hands on my shoulder, and then severe torture run through my body. I opened my eyes and saw her palm partially disappeared under my plating. Before I could scream, the dark hunter pulled her hand away, and I partially relaxed until she released the Chromia onto my neck. It pierced through my protective covering, and my vision blurred as a hollow thudding echoed in my head. I grabbed my skull, thrashing from side to side and crying out at the absolute torment it turned on me. Without warning, Dark Samus yanked the Chromia off me, a splitting rip coming from my neck. It had torn a jagged gash into me, and I felt the blood and saw it flow down my throat, coating the ground. I spat and stifled a bellow of suffering, trying to steady my heart and breath.

"You were so nice to me. I found it wonderful that you even allowed me to sleep next to you on Phrygis. And while you attempted to flee, I commanded your fellow tribe members into killing you." Dark Samus's voice sounded distant due to the booming pulse in my ears.

"Why did you want me dead?" I mumbled, watching her pace around me like a vulture. "Don't you want my power?"

"I can assure you that I still yearn for it, but I wanted you dead because if your body was empty, I could take it. After all, the body I have now is... weak, after the destruction Phaaze rendered on it. I had to hide my deficiencies by using Space Pirate armor that was made especially for me. Ha! Those pitiful rats are the easiest to persuade. I get whatever I want, when I want from them."

"You're sounding like Gandrayda," I snorted.

"Don't even joke. The Jovian is nothing compared to me. Now, I've put this off too long," Dark Samus grabbed me by the neck and pulled me to my feet with unexpected strength. "I need to get this over with and I've decided." She made me freeze myself solid to the ground, and I couldn't move any part of me. I struggled to break free, but a tight ball in my chest forbade even the slightest twitch of a muscle.

"I need some cover, Rundas," Dark Samus took a few steps back, extending her arms and locking her knees. I watched as her body sublimated, transforming her from a solid being, to a ghost. I remembered with fear when I first saw her like this, on Bryyo. The day she first-

"No! Dark Samus, please!" I beseeched, unprepared for what was to come. "Don't do this!" I tried to move, but was stuck like I was paralyzed. "You can't!"

"On the contrary," her voice was a creepy whisper. "I already have."

She swooped forward, into my chest, and inside me. I had no way of fighting back, and was overshadowed instantly.

Darkness devoured my sight.

_Blackout._


	13. Vessel for the Dark

_Pain. Deep reaching pain. Scalding pain. Unforgettable pain. Plaguing pain. Awful pain. Wretched pain. Deathly pain..._

_ "Why are you hurting? This is for the better of the galaxy. Fighting me will only result in your permanent end... The Hunter comes for bait, thus practically lying in wait... Evil shall come, once glory is done... Hunter or Hunted? The price remains the same, death is the outcome... Why do you provoke it? Why do you thrive? 'You brought this upon yourself,' it sayeth. 'you are doomed to die!' "_

"NO!!!!" I screamed myself awake from that horrid dream, abruptly sitting up and knocking monitors that were above me to the side. I smacked my forehead on the biggest one welded to the ceiling so hard, I was blown back onto the bed I was lying on. "Ah..." I mumbled hoarsely to myself in more of the ridiculous pain that was draped over me heavily. My body was aching everywhere, but my chest was the worst. It felt like somebody was banging a red hot sledge hammer against my heart. I could hardly breath I was suffering so much.

My sudden outburst startled the other people in the room, and each of them ran over to my bedside. I writhed and moaned, blearily opening my eyes once my name was frantically called.

"Rundas!" I recognized the voice, and glanced at the beings who were gathered around me in worry. Gandrayda, with her anxious eyes, Ghor, who was twiddling a package of band-aids in his palms, Admiral Dane, who was pumping more air into the oxygen mask over his mouth, U-Mos, who looked uncomfortable, and finally Samus, kneeling next to me and trying to alert me by saying my name. "Rundas!"

I didn't look at her, only looked around the room lazily. I was in some sort of medical area, which was crowded with healing equipment. I knew with numb thoughts I was on a Galactic Federation ship.

"What's wrong with him?" a voice spoke to another, once they realized I wasn't paying attention.

"Why's he bleeding so much?" a different voice asked.

"We do not know..."

The conversation above me faded -along with my sight- as another voice talked, louder than the rest. _"Whatever you do, Rundas. Don't tell them __**anything**__!! If you do, I'll awaken the Chromia inside you to make sure you have no free movement __**whatsoever**__!" _I knew the tone, which was hissed and malevolent. I felt a presence in the back of my head, which was weighted and throbbing, along with a tightened pinch in my neck. Something shifted once the wicked voice quieted, and a shiver ran up and down my spine.

I was jerked back to my agonizing state, my vision clearing slightly, and my head swimming less. The man I knew as Clark was shining a flashlight in my eyes, checking my pupils. "Well his vital signs are stable," he said as everyone listened. "But I have no idea why he's gushing blood."

I tried to sit up, but lowered myself back down again from a torrid sting through my stomach. I grunted, pinching my eyes shut and clenching my fists. Why did Dark Samus hurt me this much? On Bryyo, I wasn't in this much pain. This was the worst I've ever experienced. Had I gotten weaker?

"Hold him still while I fetch some painkillers. Make sure he_ doesn't move!!" _Clark ordered, leaving the bed area. I looked to Samus, who seemed uneasy and fearful. She raised her arm to hold my hand, but thought better of the idea, bringing it back down to her side. I felt sad. Why did she hesitate to touch me?

I exhaled a pang breath, my lungs feeling like they were being pricked with needles. Ghor gave me a weak smile once I glanced at him, and Gandrayda turned her head away and refused to look at how pitiful I probably seemed. The once proud, strong Phrygisian, now suffering, bleeding and fragile on a bed. Admiral Dane leaned against the wall, fumbling with the cords on his oxygen mask.

Clark returned, a fat jug in one arm and a syringe in the other. He uncapped the flask, sucking up the narcotics into the barrel through the needle. Then he sealed the container, placing it with a swishing noise on a table. He looked at me, leaning over and parting a few of my arm platings and sliding the thin tube beneath it. I winced, watching as the medicine drained into my body. I felt instant relief, the pain vanishing immediately. I relaxed, sighing with content and easing the tension that was constricting my muscles. I lay down, sinking into the sheets and feeling cold and numb.

Clark easily pulled the syringe out of me, setting it onto the nightstand next to the painkiller bottle. "Are you all right, now?" I gave a feeble nod. "Good. Well there's some news, Rundas." I peeked at him as my company lessened their worries, the atmosphere lightening as they each stood calmer than before. "The armies called in a full retreat. All of the invading ships are gone. We took a butt-load of damage, but made it. Only losing two ships." I smiled, but had an unfriendly ache in my chest, because I knew why they had withdrawn from the battlefield. "We're lucky we found you when we did. Apparently, there was a combustion fire in the hangers and you were caught in it. U-Mos and the others had to carry you here."

I looked towards the Luminoth. "Thank you," I credited with a scratchy tone.

U-Mos smiled almost invisibly, turning and preoccupying himself with some task.

_"He knows something is wrong..."_ Dark Samus whispered from inside my head, a hint of worry in her voice. _"He can sense it." _

I acknowledged that he knew. But I _wanted_ him to. I wanted to be saved from this. If only he could act sooner...

"How are you feeling?" Samus asked me, and I turned my head to her.

"Empty," I responded, the Chromia in my neck twitching again. I shivered, uttering a quiet moan.

"You're hungry you mean? I could get some food..." Clark said, turning and making towards the door.

"No! I'm just... sad..." I quickly said, not wanting to consume anything. If I did, I would probably throw it back up.

"Why?" Gandrayda wondered, and I saw Ghor hang his head.

"Raein didn't make it, did she?" He mumbled, eyes softening. "She was too young."

He was wrong. "No-" Dark Samus cut my speech off, my words choking in my throat. _"-she was taken by some Wotans who attacked the bay. I didn't have time to save her because of the fire."_ She spoke through my voice, but the sentences were entirely hers. Lies. Untruths. Deceptions. Were all the things that escaped her mouth.

Correction: _my _mouth.

"Those dirty Wotans! Kidnapping a child for no reason!" Ghor spat, tightening his fists violently till they shook. "When I get my hands on those filthy-"

"Wait. Aren't you a Wotan yourself?" Gandrayda interrupted, tilting her purple head to the side.

"Shut up, Gandrayda. I'm not heartless like them." His voice was savage and ruthless. He was extremely angry. Did he take a fancy towards Rae-- Dark Samus? _Sure hope not..._ I thought.

Samus was studying me. I felt her gaze and turned at her in question. "Yes?"

She turned and walked to U-Mos, who was sitting and toying with a tuning fork. She leaned towards his double plumage on his head, which I guessed were his ears and whispered softly, "I think something's wrong with Rundas. I scanned him, and.. well... he wasn't entirely right..." I was glad I could listen to their conversation, as was Dark Samus, and she heightened my hearing to eavesdrop. I couldn't help but look at the duo.

"What do you mean, hunter?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"I picked up abundant traces of Phazon in his bloodstream. And then there's this thing..."

"Continue?"

After a pause, she said, "Chromia imbedded beneath the armor of his neck. Hooked to his spinal chord."

U-Mos's red eyes widened. "He is being controlled?"

"I'm afraid so. And this Chromia's a pretty dang good actor."

"Should we alert Clark?"

"Absolutely. We need to get this thing out of him before he causes any chaos. Let's run a scan, then, once they know, we'll ambush him in a way. After that, we'll see what happens. Ready?"

U-Mos stood. "As you wish, hunter." They approached, and I looked towards the band-aid box Ghor wielded as an alternative to listening to their chat. "Clark," the Luminoth said, and the blond haired human turned his head to him. "I suggest you run a scan on Rundas."

"Why? He seems-"

"Just do it. We need to see if he's okay to get back on his feet." Samus quickly interrupted his question, pressing the button for the scanner to start.

With a hum, the machine glowed to life. I watched in panic a small overhead light lower itself from the ceiling, a green lamp extending to the width of my shoulders. Panic build up inside me as it traveled up and down my body, a bright, jade beam reading the data my physique had to offer. On a monitor, a model of my figure appeared, showing my bones, organs, and the Chromia inside me. The monster appeared as a miniature white smudge, only it had a curved form with four fins, a head, and a long tail. A red spot signified the heat signature its eye gave off.

The others peered at the screen, squinting and staring at the Chromia, trying to find out what it was. I looked down. I wasn't strapped to the bed. _"This will be the simplest escape I've ever seen. They didn't even think of closing the door!" _Dark Samus laughed, and I felt her humor. I giggled on the outside, quickly shutting up so I wouldn't give anybody the idea that I was crazy.

Clark's eyes went circular. He and Gandrayda sucked in a gasp, with Samus and U-Mos tensed and already staring at me. Ghor murmured aloud, "No!" as he covered the lower half of his face with a hand. Admiral Dane's gaze flicked to me in shock, and a muscle in his jaw worked.

Clark dashed away, and all remaining heads snapped to me in disturbance, with four pairs of eyes turning from worried to astonished. "What?" I asked falsely oblivious, but I knew perfectly well the situation I had been tangled in.

The yellow locked man returned, carrying a tray filled with sharp medical tools. He slapped it onto a table, face pale and his hands shaking. "Did you know there was a Chromia inside you, Rundas?" I went stiff. "Well, if you didn't don't worry, we're going to take it out of you."

Clark raised a vicious looking scalpel, along with abnormally large tweezers. They winked at me callously. "You'll need to hold-"

I quickly sprang from the bed, not in control of my actions. Dark Samus commanded my limbs as I leaped from the gurney, landing in the middle of the floor and holding my ice sharpening hands to my sides. I watched as the hunters and Admiral Dane hold their weapons at the ready, their faces serious and prepared.

"Rundas," Samus cautioned in a stern voice, aiming her power beam at me. "Don't make us hurt you."

A crooked grin cracked across my face, and I hollered from Dark Samus's cruel voice, "Ha! I'd love to see you try!" I sent out sub-zero blasts and ice shards that froze everything in the room. But, my fellow bounty hunters were quick to react, and dodged my projectiles. I turned and dashed out of the room, speeding down the hall on a trail of ice that I sent out below my feet. I was practically flying. I felt a little disappointed. The dark hunter knew how to use my powers as well as I did...

"Come back here!!" Gandrayda called from far behind me, but I didn't look back. I heard the three of them sprinting after me, but soon enough, their footsteps faltered and died.

I soared through the halls of the unknown spacecraft I was on. "Where are we going?" I asked Dark Samus. This had been the first time I'd actually spoken to her out of pure wonder. Maybe it wasn't my last...

_"Simple. Your ship."_

I was confused. "Why?" I zoomed past an elevator and glided down a stairwell, landing on a floor and continuing my mad speed through corridors.

_"We must go to the Pirate Homeworld. Or... I should say Phaaze II. My armies are expecting us."_

"Us?"

_"Precisely, minion. The hunters won't just give up on you. They'll follow us down, and will fall directly into my trap."_

I swallowed. What was the plan?

And why did she speak of it so solemnly?


	14. Marionette in Distress

I raced into the docking bay where I had previously parked my ship. The hanger showed little signs of war, except a few burn streaks across the steel and a pair of passed out soldiers. My Phrygisian class-fighter sat motionless in the dock, and I approached it. _"Make it fast, got it?"_

I obeyed, stepping on the rim, but froze.

The Chromia wriggled painfully, and I reached for it as the monster crawled. I could feel the bumps of its head and legs under my skin, following it with my fingers when it started to slither its way into my skull. "Hey!" I smacked it with my palm as hard as I could, and doubled over once I made that foolish decision. I heard the Chromia squeal shrilly in my ears, the sound echoing around my mind. "Agh, what's it doing?!" My voice was strained from the ache.

_"It's just bored."_ Dark Samus sighed. _"It's looking for something to do, and since you're not using it, the Chromia will simply explore your body."_

"If it wasn't going to do anything why'd you stick it inside me in the first place?!" I hissed, covering the jagged cut in the nape of my neck, which had started to bleed. I was on my knees, partially in a standing position as I attempted to get up.

_"I don't know. Just to keep you from going against me."_ She yawned, and I felt her stretch in the back of my head. _"Get going! Now __**I'm**__ getting bored."_

I gritted my teeth, but got on the fighter with one foot. I bounded myself to the cockpit, creating an ice windshield and pumping more of it through the exhaust engines. I was soon slowly making an ascent out of the docking bay.

The right wing of my vessel suddenly liquified, the material dripping as it glowed orange. "Huh?" I watched as the left wing was melted too, and looked out the side window to see Samus, Gandrayda and Ghor in the dock. The huntress's weapon was aimed at my ship, the barrel smoking. Ghor's plasma cannon was flaring as well. Dark Samus made me lean and hurl ice at them, which was quickly obliterated once they each shot.

_"Just keep moving. Don't bother with them,"_ I was ordered, and reluctantly continued to exit the bay. _"Maybe they'll finally give up fighting and follow us instead."_

I shook my head. _Samus never gives up._ I thought. _You have no idea who you're dealing with._

_ "As a matter of fact, I do know who I'm-" _the dark hunter responded, but was cut off by a thunk coming from the rear of the fighter. We watched Samus crawl over the roof and onto the hull. She crouched over the windshield, and pulled her right gunned arm back, teeth bared. _"Holy sh-"_

Samus clouted the window aggressively, the ice shattering and showering me. I covered my face, the shards slicing into my armor. _"Quit being so cowardly!"_ the adversary inside me roared, forcing me to pry my arms away.

"Shut up!!" I growled lowly to her, and my anger made me lash out at the dark hunter. It took me a few seconds to remember that she was inside me, and that I'd punched the real Samus in the helmet with a cracking sound.

Her head snapped back grossly, and I covered my mouth with my hand. "Samus!! I'm sorry!!" I reached for her.

She recovered incredibly fast, straightening her neck again and taking her curled fingers back. _"Look out!!" _I ducked, barely escaping Samus's fist as it sunk two inches into the back of the seat.

She pried her hand from it, and I turned my head to find the barrel of her gun locked on my face.

"Go back to the dock. _Now_." Her voice was sharp, and I finally sensed her true power. If I really focused on her tone, I realized I was afraid of the huntress. I didn't move, with Dark Samus and the Chromia quiet and waiting as well. "Didn't you hear me? I said _go_!" she forced.

I slowly hung my head, lowering my eyes. "I want to... but..."

"What are you talking about?"

I raised my gaze towards her, staring at the large split in her visor. Her wrath- fueled eyes were beginning to soften as she stared at me, and a cold feeling washed over my body from the neck out. "I... can't..." I forced myself to talk, even though Dark Samus was screaming inside me wildly-

_"No!! No!! No!! No!!"_ Her voice was venomous and it got louder by the syllable. _"No!! __No!! No!! No!! No!!"_

"Can't what? What's happened, Rundas?" the huntress asked, her voice more comforting than the demon I was possessed by.

"She..." I mumbled, pushing the word from my lips painfully. It hurt to talk, and hurt even more as the Chromia started to thrash in my back and neck. I grabbed my head with both hands, Dark Samus pounding against it and demanding I silence myself.

_"Say nothing more!! Say nothing more!!" _I grunted as she shrieked.

Samus placed her hands on either side of my face, shaking me to get my attention. "Rundas! Tell me what's going on! I can help you!"

I threw my arms around her, bearing the striking rage that the dark hunter inflicted. "S-save me, Samus!!" I pleaded, tears streaming from my eyes from the insufferable agony.

"From who?" she retorted, pulling back.

Dark Samus regained total control of my body, locking me in the back of my own head. She clamped my hand around Samus's throat, the Varia Suit buckling beneath my death-grip. She kicked her feet and raked at my fingers. _"I'm baack,"_ the dark hunter said in a tone that was a combination of hers and my own. _"Did you miss me?" _She held her off the fighter and stood, saying ruthlessly, _"You can't help him. He's mine, now!" _Samus growled and started to aim her kicks at my chest. _"And soon, the other hunters, then the galaxy; the universe! Eventually, __**you!!!"**_

__"Rundas! I know you're in there, fight back! Don't let her control you!" the huntress shouted, her eyes brooding of me. "You're stronger than she is! You can beat her!"

_"Don't listen to this thick-helmeted imbecile. She can't win, and neither can you!"_ Dark Samus taunted, and I was shoved further into my mind. _"You've already lost your body to me. What else do you have to give up?"_

I shrunk deeper into my sorrow, realizing that she was right. _What more could I lose...? _My family had been destroyed, and I had killed numerous friends, in fact, the survivors were all probably mad with Phazon. _What more could I lose...? _My once loved 'sister' happened to be a monster that was craving rule. That very creature was controlling my movements as I pondered. _What more could I lose...?_

I was crushed. "You're right. I've... lost..." I fell through blackness, being devoured whole by Dark Samus and her thirst for command until I landed at the very bottom of the fathomless pit of misery. I didn't move, nothing had meaning anymore.

Dark Samus laughed malignantly, the chortle sinking into me deep. _"Well it appears that Rundas accepted his defeat."_ The real Samus went stiff, I could feel it. _"...As you should. Enjoy the rest of your day, hunter."_ She giggled again. _"While it lasts."_

The antagonist turned with the hero weak and unbelieving. She threw the human off the fighter powerfully, with the suited woman silent as she skidded back onto the dock, bowling over Gandrayda and Ghor. They were as shocked as she was, but didn't make any move to get up and laid in the hanger incredulously.

Dark Samus sat herself back in the ship, freezing her Phrygisian body to the cockpit, and gliding away from the docking bay, all in complete, triumphant silence.


	15. Thoroughly Corrupted

Phaaze II, formerly the Homeworld of the Space Pirates. A once glowing, red planet with great power and menace. Now, it was shocking blue, radiation from the poisoned orb reaching its deathly claws out towards the stars. I watched the churning Phazon clouds above the surface, and felt a shiver in my being. Dark Samus ascended through the coverage of lethal bank, ignoring my fear as she always had.

Once free of the clouds, I saw the surface Phaaze II. The ground was covered in light cobalt, blindingly shining. I squinted against the brightness and continued to peer around, with the dark black sky, the wiggling tendrils of Phazon, the creatures of the Pirate Homeworld corrupted and bloodthirsty, and the vast flock of sixteen alien races. I recognized with horror the Diamont, Space Pirate, Kriken, Wotans, Jovians, Vhozons, Cyclosians, Enoemas, and Phrygisians, all standing in a great gathering.

_"Baffling, no? I brought them all here myself. I wish I could've heard their screams..."_ The dark hunter was pleased with herself as she landed the fighter, stepping out and before the colonies. _"Oh well. At least they're unstoppable." _

I stared at the aliens, with their mutated bodies and ruthless faces. I knew the bounty hunters from each tribe. They were the ones with the most extravagant and cunning armor. Kanden was even more muscular and daunting, Trace was slightly larger, and his arms and legs were spiked crazily. Sylux had transformed tentacles that had penetrated his plating from the inside, with them sticking out of his chest, back, and the crown of his helmet. Noxus was icy blue, and he was broader shouldered and as tall as I was, he grinned with fangs when he caught me staring at him. Spire was solitary there as well, with Phazon gushing from his body and his eyes hard and cruel. Weavel was standing with his group of Pirates, his armor upgraded and his weapons mind-boggling. He chuckled and cocked his gun as I watched him. They were all incredible and outrageous, but had one thing in common- along with the rest of the multitude: the Chromia latched onto each of their necks.

_"Minions! I congratulate each of you for making the decision to follow me! You will not be disappointed." _Dark Samus spoke through the same mixed tone of mine and hers._ "...As soon as Samus Aran and the traitorous Jovian and Wotan arrive on our doorstep, we shall assimilate them."_ The crowd began to cheer. _"And when they are ours, we will overthrow the universe!!"_

By this time, the entire planet was roaring with twisted happiness. I curled into a ball inside my head, worry for Samus, Gandrayda, and Ghor's safety weighing heavily on my mind. How would they be able to withstand these enormous armies? Like the dark hunter had said, they were unstoppable. I sighed, knowing that they would surely be defeated, but then remembered what Samus had told me at the Galactic Federation docking bay. "Don't let her control you! You're stronger than she is! You can beat her!"

I thought about her words. Was I stronger than Dark Samus? Would I be able to conquer her? She had taken my body for her own... But I was still conscious... Did that mean I still had a chance? _"Now. All of you go prepare for their arrival. I will be with you shortly." _The adversary dismissed the swarm, and they all obeyed mechanically, turning and leaving the landing sight in a miraculously short time for an assembly of that size. In an instant, we were alone. _"I should be making preparations myself. After all, I need to give you your body back sooner or later."_

I was confused. "Really? W-why?" I didn't think that this evil witch had any room for compassion.

_"Once I get the power I deserve, I won't need you anymore. You'll be useless, anyhow."_ She walked across a bridge, opening a door and stepping inside. It was an elevator, so she touched the holographic lift and stood in the center. Dark Samus snickered. _"My new body will be far greater than yours by legions."_

I gulped. "New body? What about your old one?"

_"Rundas," _she sighed, shaking my head for me. _"You should at least know that I have multiple forms. Raein, for example, was one of my alternates."_

I felt sad. I would miss having a younger sibling. "Why did you do it?"  I caught her off guard as we rose several floors. _"What?"_

"Why did you make me and everyone else believe that Raein was real?"

Dark Samus was quiet for a time. _"I wanted to get some inside information on you."_ She said curtly. _"I didn't have much knowledge of you at the time."_

"But you could have read files the Galactic Federation has on me. Why barge into my life and dupe everybody?"

I felt something in Dark Samus like I had never felt before. It was hot, but she was bitter in mind. My fists clenched on the outside, and she responded with an unfamiliar tone, _"I was jealous."_

"Jealous?! Of who?!" She was capable of jealousy too?! I always knew she was an empty shell of Samus's old Phazon Suit. But, she had emotion, and feelings; intelligence. This was quite a shock.

_"Who else is madly infatuated with you? Who else has the power to make your cold heart melt? I am jealous of Samus, Rundas. The life she has with you. I made myself Raein because I could get close enough to you so I wouldn't get attacked. Spat upon. Your parents... they accepted me when I was Raein only because of fool-proof mind washing. The rest of the Phrygisians made me feel like I belonged somewhere." _I was suddenly sorry for Dark Samus. I had never thought of her point of view. Constantly being isolated and hated by millions of people she didn't even know. She thought my life was comforting... _"The only reason I've done all this was so I could get to you."_

I went quiet, pondering all she had confessed. I was desired by two now? That was a little overwhelming for me. "So all those years of fighting Samus... she thought you hated her... that was a lie?"

_"Untrue. I do hate her. In fact, I loathe her. Intensely. But not for the reasons she thinks."_

"Dark Samus... If I'd known I would've been a little nicer," I said softly, though in my mind I didn't mean it. She had done horrible things. This could be a fake admittance. I had to be careful.

_"No you wouldn't. You would step on me and crush me like everybody always has!"_ She shrieked, and it pained me terribly. I clenched the wall I was curled into. _"I've become strong because I've had to climb and claw my way to power. No sympathy from you is going to change me! I've already made up my mind for my plan. I'll take Samus's body from her even if I have to kill you to do it!!"_

"What?! Take her-?! You can't do that!! I won't allow it!!" I felt my chance to repulse her was coming, and I readied myself to vanquish the dark hunter into nothing.

_"I knew you'd say that,"_ her voice was baleful, and right when I was about to stand and fight, she thrust me farther than before into the nooks of my head. I felt like an invisible clamp was keeping me down, and I couldn't move. _"Do __**not**__ overestimate my power, Rundas. I am still far more superior than you at this point. If you don't fight me, I won't erase you from time forever. Now be quiet, like all Phrygisian filth should, and let me pick out the best instrument to kill Samus with." _She entered the armory, browsing through the immense variety of Space Pirate weaponry.

"I won't let you harm her! Let me out!" I bellowed, thrashing my head from side to side; the only thing I was able to do. "You life sucking, murderous, despicable parasite!!"

Dark Samus stopped. _"What did you say?"_

"Are your ears as dirty as your soul is? I said you're a-"

_"Life sucking..."_ she interrupted, whispering. _"That's perfect! I won't need her body, I'll just take your energy and combine it with the both of yours..." _She laughed._ "You, my friend, have some of the best ideas. Thank you for the plan."_

Realizing I had just spelled out Samus's death sentence, I screamed, "Noooo!!!!!" Just as the dark hunter left the armory, an orange, hawk-like gunship landing twenty meters away, with Samus, Gandrayda, and Ghor stepping out of it and onto Phaaze II.

I stared at them, pleading with Dark Samus to let them go. "Don't to this! Please! Don't!"

_"Nothing shall stand in my way of annihilating them all."_

We began to walk towards them.


	16. Brutal

I hollered and jerked till I was dizzy. I had to save her. She would NOT die because I was too weak to help. I had to save her.

But there was no way of escape.

I watched as we approached the trio, hearing the ice sharpen on my uncontrollable hands. They heard me, and three heads turned towards our direction. "Rundas?" Samus said, stopping. Gandrayda and Ghor froze as well. "Are you-"

"All right?" I breathed, my words actually making it out of my own mouth. Before, I was only able to speak inside my head, and Dark Samus was the single person who could respond and hear. Why did she let me? Was it some sort of... No! Couldn't be! "Absolutely not. Please- ack!"

I stumbled backward, Dark Samus 'tsk-tsking'. _"Fool." _I clutched my chest, suddenly my long-healed skewer wound was hurting. I felt numb, and breathed heavily. _"Didn't I already say she couldn't help you?"_

"Don't tell me what to do," I grumbled, the three hunters watching me. "I won't listen anyway."

She chuckled inside. _"Attack them. __**Now." **_

"I said shut up!!" I was shouting aloud, and the others were watching me, poised for anything to happen. Ghor was scanning my body, his eyes glimmering red.

_"Go!!" _I was catapulted forward, almost as if Dark Samus had slammed me internally. My arm was raised above Gandrayda's head, iced sharp and deadly. _"Dispose of the two. Leave Samus." _

"No!! Look out, Gandrayda!!" I cried as I brought the ice knife down. She was still as stone, her eyes wide.

I closed my own and made my mark, but I didn't hear a tearing sound. I peeked, shocked as my hand was imbedded into Ghor's chest. He was standing in front of Gandrayda, with crimson surging from the scar. He didn't look like he was hurt, his face hardened into a scowl. I stared at the damage, gasping. "Ghor-"

"Argh!" He lashed out mightily, clocking me in the jaw with a vigorous fist. I heard a crack, splitting pain shooting up my face. "Stay off of Gandrayda, distasteful leech!!"

"Ow!" I held my mouth, looking just in time to see Ghor tackle me savagely. We rolled on the Phazon rich ground, with the Wotan punching me and shooting his plasma cannon at my limbs.

"I know what you've done to Rundas! You're not going to hurt anyone else, Dark Samus!" His blows were painful, and I considered fighting back. But I didn't, not wanting to deal any kind of damage than I already had to my friend. "What's the matter, monster? Too afraid to retaliate? C'mon!" he jeered, snarling.

Dark Samus was abruptly angry. _"I'll show you, monster!" _She pulled my legs back, kicking Ghor good in the stomach. His eyes went wide as he sailed away from me, landing with a heavy _clunk_ next to Gandrayda's feet. _"A little protective of the Jovian tramp, are you, Ghor? You should consider someone a tad less arrogant!"_

The cyborg hawked a loogie at my feet. "Hold your tongue, dark hunter." He rested his head on the Phazon, closing his eyes in tire. "Hold your tongue... ugh..."

_"These three are a little feisty! I'm glad I've targeted them," _she readied herself for Gandrayda, who's clenched hands were shaking as she watched Ghor lay in pain on the ground.

The Jovian looked up, forming her body and changing into her copied form of me. I stared at the mirror image, the purple eyes across of me flashing with hatred. The other me ran forward, aiming frozen punches at me swiftly. I was forced to dodge by Dark Samus, and created ice armor around myself as quickly as I could. Gandrayda was grunting in my voice, teeth bared as her first whack was right on. Her icy knuckles collided with my throat.

I choked, dazed as I reverted my focus from dueling to breathing. Who knew she could hit so hard? Gandrayda came behind me, slinging her arm around my neck and hooking me in a headlock. Dark Samus fidgeted, making me jerk around. The fake Phrygisian laughed. "Don't even try!" My body went stiff as electricity shot through me. "Over here, Samus!"

The huntress came over, thrusting her left arm out. A bright blue beam came from her hand, latching onto my chest. She snapped her arm back, and my ice armor was tugged off me easily. "Ow!" I cried, Gandrayda wrapping her other limb around my stomach to hold my squirming steady. The Chromia in my nape wriggled again.

Gandrayda pulled me down to the ground, and there we both sat. Samus kneeled to my level, and Ghor crawled over with a strange device in his hand. _"What are you doing?!"_ Dark Samus shrieked in mortification, watching the Wotan slowly place the machine onto my collarbone.

"Hurry!" I begged, the adversary within trying to bust out of my body. Ghor worked faster. It wasn't until she realized she was being slowly sucked away that Dark Samus actually succeeded in leaving me, and exploded from my front. She grabbed Samus forcefully and rolling over her onto the mutagen infested ground.

I slumped back into Gandrayda's Phrygisian chest, immediately fatigued. My mind was only centered on Samus's safety, but I was so beat that I had a hard time concentrating. I watched with a hint of blur Dark Samus place one hand onto the side of Samus's head, the other on the opposite side as well, and then her body glow.

All of a sudden I got my energy back, fueled only by adrenaline and pure rage at the sight of the dark hunter on my friend. I leaped up, pulse pumping, and stomped over to the female hunters. "Don't touch her!!" I yelled, bringing my now razor-edged arm down and through Dark Samus's back.

She gasped, her hand flying off of my comrades' helmet and to my hand in her chest. Her head twisted in my direction, and she aimed her gun at my face. Completely out of control of my own fury, I reached up, dug my fingers into the diabolical entity's head, and yanked with all my strength. I pulled Dark Samus's skull off, she uttering on last gurgled scream before her gory death. Gooey Phazon dripped from her cranium, flooding out of her neck and down her body. I sucked my blue slicked arm from her chest, and threw the two parts off the cliff edge we were standing on.

I turned my attention to Samus, and my heart almost stopped beating. Out of my pure ire, I had accidentally forced my sharpened arm too far, creating a hole in Samus's left, upper ribcage. My weapon had gone entirely through her organs, and blood was staining the cyan ground. She was breathing quickly, tracing the abrasion. "Oh no, are you all right?" I came to her, kneeling, sliding my hands gently beneath her back and lifting her to me. "You're gonna be okay. It'll be fine!"

Samus lolled her head to my face, sapphire irises weakening as my throat tightened. She opened her mouth to speak, but silence was the only thing she could muster. I shook her as her lids gradually covered her clouding eyes. "Samus! Samus stay with me! Samus!"

Slowly, the huntress's form went limp, and I heard her suit shut off, her body turning cold.

Time stopped for me. All I could do was stare at Samus's closed eyes, the blood that had ceased to percolate from her impaled heart, and her death colored skin. I did nothing else but hold her close to me, her head resting on my armor. I hugged her corpse as tight as I could without hurting, and allowed the tears to pour down my face. Gandrayda and Ghor had sat, hanging their heads as despair engulfed each of us whole. They too, were holding each other.

"Samus Aran is dead," the Wotan whispered, patting Gandrayda's back as she sobbed on his shoulder. "May she rest in tranquil peace, for her time in the galaxies made the extraordinary difference."

I reached towards the back of my neck, feeling the lump of the Chromia and the open scar that it was beneath. It shifted around. _I hope this works. I'm not carrying on without you, Samus._ I thought, digging beneath the plating and searching for something of the creature I could seize.

Soon, I found it, and pinched its tail between my fingers. It screeched, trying to shift away from me and further into my body. But I held strong, wrenching it powerfully from my neck with a tear of something in my head.

I went rigid and fell to the ground as my vision was overtaken by blank whiteness.


	17. Hollow

** So? Last chapter was pretty intense, yes? Well to all of my fantastic reviewers, The Fate of the Galaxy is not over yet!! We continue the story, but not from Rundas's perspective... By the way, this chapter is a little heartbreaking.... Those of you who don't like yelling might want to ask what happened if you don't wish to read it. Ha ha! Maybe some of you will break free of your depression? Maybe this story will be freakin' published someday?! *snicker snicker***

** Here goes nothing---**

"Oh my gosh... We have a pulse! Unbelievable!"

"Hurry! Get her awake!"

"Fetch the others!"

I moaned and stirred, keeping my eyes closed. I felt like I was burning on the inside, but only in a single place. My chest was an inferno.

Cold air washed over my face. "Samus? Can you hear me?"

I opened my eyes slowly, finding I was not on the corrupted Pirate Homeworld anymore. I recognized the metal ceilings, the medicine cluttered shelves, and the friendly face of the doctor Clark above me. I nodded in response to his question, knowing instantly I was on Olympus.

_Groan_. How many times would I wake up in here?

"Thank heaven. We found you, Gandrayda, Ghor, and Rundas on Phaaze II, all together at a landing sight. Gandrayda and Ghor were fine, but they said you were dead, and Rundas had knocked himself out." He was smiling in relief, even as he said the word 'dead'.

"Dead? Well I remember getting cut..." I smoothed a thick bandage over my chest absentmindedly, and realized I wasn't in my Varia Suit anymore. I sat up and glanced down at my blue, Zero Suited body, confused.

Clark chuckled. "_Stabbed_ is more like it," he pulled up an x-ray sheet, where a white diagram of my upper chest was pictured. "we found your heart impaled."

"Then how in this world am I still alive?" I asked, extremely bemused.

"Well, based on what we know from your childhood, you were fused with Chozo blood, correct?"

"Yes."

"And our scans from your entrance to Galactic Federation grounds say that your body was somewhat transformed after that. You have super human strength, can endure more than anybody else, and are insanely fast. Right?"

I nodded. "Sounds precise."

"I have been studying your anatomy, and came to the realization that your heart was mutated from a regular human's. Now, you must pulse the Chozo blood to your body, and in order to do that, you need to have a Chozo heart, since the plasma is so thick. The part of your heart that was hurt was your human half. Once it got stabbed- _boom_, gone. But the Chozo remains of the organ are still beating. The only reason Rundas thought you were dead was because your half-human heart stopped."

I shook my head, eyes widening. "That's a little weird."

He laughed. "Only slightly."

The door blew open, Gandrayda and Ghor skidding inside, puffing. "Samus! You're alive!!" The Wotan came over, embracing me like a long-lost puppy come back. "You scared us _so_ bad!" He pulled away, beaming.

"I did?" Gandrayda was smiling, her eyes relaxed and joyous as I said that. "Wasn't I still breathing?"

"Hardly. We didn't see your chest rise and fall or nothing," the Jovian explained. "Maybe it was because your Suit shut itself off."

I waved my hand. "It was just emergency protocols. Nothing to worry about." I paused, eye brows furrowing. "Where's Rundas?"

"He's safe! Out there waiting!" Clark indicated the exit, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. "I suggest you get to him fast!"

"Why?" I wondered, getting to my feet and standing next to Ghor and Gandrayda.

"His family wants to take him back to Phrygis." the human said slowly, drumming is fingers on a tabletop.

I tightened my jaw. "Not while I'm still awake. Come on, guys, let's go round Rundas up." I said motivationally, dashing out the door with the pair of bounty hunters following behind me.

"Where exactly did Clark say he was?" I asked as we ran.

"On level two. The docks," Ghor quickly responded, a slight edge of glumness in his tone.

"How did you know that?" I flipped my head around to look at him, my blonde bangs whipping with the movement.

Ghor's red lighting on his body dimmed to bluish. "I saw him earlier..."

Gandrayda's face was grave. "We both did."

"Well why didn't you bring him to the hospital wing?" I was suspicious. What were these two hiding?

"Uh-" Ghor mumbled after we traveled the hall distance.

I stopped them, placing both hands on my hips. "Well?"

"There he is!" Gandrayda cried, jabbing her pointer finger across the corridor further. I saw my close friend sitting on a bench in the wall, cradling his head in his hands. His elbows were propped up on his knees, and a light blue tinted Phrygisian woman stood next to him, her six-fingered hand on his shoulder. Several other technicolored Phrygisians waited around.

Happiness welled up inside me, and I forgot about Gandrayda and Ghor's secrecy, approaching my companion with a broad smile on my face. "Rundas!"

He didn't respond, but merely grunted and swatted the gentle hand away from him. The powder blue lady stared at me when I said his name, her white eyes hateful as she carefully studied my face. "Daygon?" She turned away, walking towards another version of Rundas, except he was more aged than the Phrygisian I knew well.

I looked towards my ally, curious as to why he neglected me calling his title. "Rundas? Are you all right?"

He looked up, offering me an uncomfortable smile. After a moment of staring, he held his head again, rubbing the nape of his neck with another hand. "Ow..." he muttered.

I waited for him to reply to my question. He sensed me watching him, and looked up again. "What?"

"I asked if you were all right." I repeated.

He shrugged, sighing. "I feel a little sick. But, other than that... Wait... why would you care?"

"What are you talking about, Rundas?" Something wasn't right... 

"That too," he stood up, towering above me and looking down with a perplexed expression. "Why do you keep saying that name? Have you lost somebody?"

I was starting to get uneasy. Was he joking? "N-no, I-"

"Roan!!" a voice interrupted my flabbergasted sentence, and Rundas twisted his head to the side. I looked too, seeing Daygon watching us. The light cyan woman was standing close to him, with her hands on his ragged shoulder plating. "Step away from Samus Aran immediately!" His voice was cross and commanding.

Rundas remained planted to his spot. "But father, I was just-"

The Phrygisian man stomped over in three strides, raising his hand and violently slapping his son across the face. The sound reverberated around the passage, and Rundas's eyes went wide as he touched the red mark. _"NO!!"_ Daygon bellowed so loud that it made everyone jump, and I swore I heard the windows rattle. Rundas went stiff, staring at the Phrygisian with a glance of horror. "She ruined your life!! I won't allow her to take you away from us anymore!!"

Daygon, realizing what he just did, covered his mouth in shock, stepping back with a worried expression. He reached outward, fingers almost caressing Rundas's bruised cheek. "Roan, I didn't mean to hit you so hard-"

"That's not his name!" I interrupted, clamoring, my anger towards him spilling over the top. "Stop calling him that!"

"We shall call him what we please, you little wretch!" the baby blue woman shouted, fists clenched. "Keep your claws off my son!"

_"Claws?!" _I echoed. If only I had my Varia Suit equipped... Then her head would be completely gone. "Look who's talking with claws,_ crone!" _I stared at the miniature talons that each Phrygisian in the hallway had on the ends of their fingertips. They all grew angry, the females joining with the males, whom had the ability to manipulate ice. Growls were shot in my direction.

The woman was shaking from the insult, her white eyes afire as she trudged towards me. "Why you-"

"Breena, calm yourself!" Daygon cautioned, though chilled fog was hovering dangerously around his hand. "Leave this _verey_ to me..." Breena giggled at the Phrygisian jibe.

"Now, now, everyone, I don't think you should be fighting! Arguments don't bring families together!" Ghor said loudly in the fury-tense atmosphere, Gandrayda clinging to his arm.

"That's what I've been trying to do!" Everyone flinched. "Rundas forgot everything, even his own name! I had to change it so this thief-" Daygon stabbed a finger at my face, and I snarled internally. "-wouldn't steal my only son! My pride and joy!" he blurted to the Wotan, breathing heavily. "When he was taken as a child... I went insane..." his voice sad and quieter as he hung his head, shoulders dropping. "My... boy... was gone..."

Silence followed.

Rundas had been standing mutely throughout all that bickering. He stared at Daygon with slitted eyes, and I watched as his hands curled into fists. "Don't give me the mournful father treatment. You filled my head with lies!" his voice was biting, and I couldn't help but shiver. "How could you? I- I trusted you! The moment I woke up you were there, telling me about my so called 'life'. I believed everything you said!" He laughed cruelly, throwing his head back for a moment. "In fact, I was _eager- _hear that _dad?_- eager! to go back to Phrygis and rejoin my family. But, seeing _this_," Rundas motioned around the Phrygisians in the hall with his arms widely, a cold scowl forming on his face. "I'm disgusted. Utterly and totally ashamed of being related to you! Gosh, I feel ill at the thought of the three of us living on some distant planet, together! I could collapse and throw up after seeing those images!"

Wow. That was the harshest thing I'd ever heard. I never imagined Rundas saying something like that. What a blow to the gut for Daygon. I stared in transfixed wonder at the ice hunter as he continued his harmful lecture to his parents. Everyone in the corridor listened.

"I'm leaving. These three make me feel something I haven't since I've woken up in that stupid hospital room. I'm glad I won't ever see you two again. And I wouldn't recommend coming after me," Rundas's arms went shiny with ice, which soon razored and glinted threateningly. Daygon and Breena went rigid. "It's not gonna end pretty." He turned his head towards Gandrayda, Ghor, and I. "Let's go, Samus... you and... um... you."

Slowly at first, the four of us left the crowded hallway, with the defeated Phrygisians speechless. Once away from the group, I immediately heard Breena begin to cry. I decided to not get bugged about it. Her own son had literally said he hated them, right in front of their faces. Though, since apparently Rundas couldn't remember anything, he didn't know why felt such strong feelings towards them. I smirked to myself, knowing I had won the tug-of-war between his parents and our little quartet. I thought vaguely if it was good to think of it as a victory, but shook it off and smiled as I walked next to him.

"So..." Rundas muttered, rubbing his neck. "I don't remember your names. Mind refreshing me a bit?"

The female Jovian laughed, and I was intrigued as to why. "I'm Gandrayda. But, if you find that hard then you can call me Dray."

"Dray... I like the ring it has..." a smile was on the brink of upturning the corner of his mouth. He looked to the Wotan.

"I'm Ghor," the cyborg said cheerfully, and he _was_ grinning. "It's good to know you're not dead."

Rundas chuckled uncertainly. "Right..."

"Gandrayda's nicknamed me Sammy," I reminded him, his gaze flicking in my direction. "But you can call me Samus." I flashed my most dazzling simper.

Rundas's cheeks turned red as he stared at me. He noticed he was blushing, and he flipped his head away as fast as he could. "Uh, yeah! I'll just remember Samus..." he flustered.

I glanced around the corridor, reminiscing of when the four of us ran through these halls, warning Admiral Dane of Jake Larsen. I frowned. Would Rundas remember that? Would he recall anything whatsoever? I felt sad inside, making myself believe that he was just an hollow, amnesiac shell of his once upbeat, _loving, _self.

I was staring out the window, squinting as something began to glow bright in the distance. "What is that?" I asked to nobody in particular, watching as the light expanded, transforming into a huge wormhole that tore its way through the fabric of space. The twisting pit was flashing blue as ships emerged from it, and into Kalandor region. I recognized the vessels of many alien races I had encountered, including the ones of the bounty hunters I had fought with.

"The army from Phaaze II!!" Ghor shrieked, viewing the invasion as the rest of us were too.

"Phaaze what?" Rundas questioned in confusion, turning his head towards the opposite end of the hall.

Admiral Dane was running to our location. "What is it Dane?" I interrogated swiftly.

"We've got trouble."


	18. Down to Phaaze II

**All right!! Let's keep going! So, we rejoin our amnesiac Rundas, now back through his eyes and perspective. I thank all my reviewers for reading thus far, because, well this is the longest story I've ever written. Anyway, hope you enjoy this next chapter! It's got a bit of love in it...**

I stared at the human man, with his tough chin and even tougher voice. Nothing of his composure fit him. His fully honored outfit, proud, bold face and rugged features. He was... extremely short. I had a hard time not laughing at his shrimpy form, and listened as intently as I could to what he had to say in his panic. "Out there-" he pointed through the window, at the writhing blue streak that emitted miniature ships. "-Is the horde of aliens on Phaaze II. You guys may have killed Dark Samus-" 

"W-wait, what? Dark _what?"_ I asked before 'Dane' could go on, waving my hands to make him stop his speech. "I have no idea what you're talking about, dude."

The woman named Samus (whom I was completely head-over-heels for, the reason I didn't know) looked up to me. "What are you saying? You don't recall the huge battle we had?"

I snorted. "I think I'd remember something as awesome as that." Dray and Ghor shrunk in on themselves, looking guilty. "What's with you two?"

Samus glared at them scrutinizingly. "Your secret?"

Ghor twiddled his thumbs. "Well... we knew that after Rundas pulled that Chromia from his neck... it would... erase all of his memories..."

"What?!" Samus cried. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"We didn't think you could handle it! I meant you no anger! I'm sorry!" He hid his face as Samus advanced on him with an enigmatically acquired pistol.

"I can handle anything, if you haven't noticed, Ghor!!" her perfect teeth were bared as she slid the pistol's cover off, a long, glowing whip of energy emerging from the open slot. I couldn't imagine her so angry--

Something flashed in front of my eyes, bright and swift. I suddenly found myself not watching a soon-to-be massacre in the hallway, but rising up through a tall shaft with someone cradled in my arms. Confused, I looked down, where a personage was glancing up at me. They had on themselves a copper/orange, shiny suit, with large circular shoulder pads and smooth cut armor on their arms and legs. The helmet that disguised their head was ruby colored, with an emerald tinted visor that covered their face. I traced up and down their body with my eyes; the being was cuddled perfectly into my biceps and chest. This position felt familiar and welcoming... Like I knew it from somewhere--

I was jolted away from the vision right when my thoughts were forming, hitting my head on something hard. Numbness prickled my limbs, and my eyes were rolling in a daze as the corridor whirled. I looked up at Dane, Samus, Dray and Ghor, who were all strangely taller, their surprised expressions shadowed from the lights overhead. "How'd you guys get up there?" I asked stupidly, Ghor reaching down with his hand for me to grab. I took it, standing a little shakily and holding my head.

"Are you okay?" Dray worried, Samus closing the hatch of her revolver hastily.

"I think so..." I rubbed my skull, it throbbing as I tried to picture that illusion, wanting desperately to hold that elusive figure. My hands longed to embrace the elegant curves... "What were we talking about?"

Dane was giving me a confused face. "...We were discussing how we're going to stop the invasion. Our count of the vessels show that only half of the army from Phaaze II is attacking. So, that must mean the other half is on the planet, protecting something. That's there you come in," he paused as I blinked. I recognized that sentence... "You four are going down to the planet to find out what they're guarding. Plus, since Dark Samus was killed, we believe the flock are under the influence of somebody else. We want you to find out who and kill them, so we can finally get rid of this Phazon problem for good. Got it?"

I held up a finger. "One thing," the company listened. "I need a detailed explanation of everything that's happened."

"Why?" Dane wondered.

I gawked. "According to these two, I can't remember anything. I want to know what we're going up against-"

The ship rumbled, and dozens of fighter vessels whooshed past the window in immense groups. "No time, Rundas. Maybe they'll explain on the way." Dane turned, about to leave, but stopped. "Also, you'll each need to get Hazard Shields on the planet. The acid rain on the Pirate Homeworld now is mixed with Phazon. It won't kill you, but you will get so sick from it that you will fall into a coma and never wake up." My jaw dropped. "You didn't get hurt the first time there, because the storms weren't present, but now, since Dark Samus is dead, the clouds are raging." He saluted, giving us a small smile that hoped for our safety. "Be careful out there, hunters. These are the darkest hours in Galactic Federation history. Farewell!" The man bolted down the hall, shouting commands to a jump-suited human.

"Let's get going. Time is everything, now." Samus said, beckoning me to follow her. I did so, running alongside her with Dray and Ghor at our heels. "I guess we're all going to ride in my ship?"

"Seems so. Do you have enough room?" Ghor said. "If not, I could always use my Ghor Fighter 2."

She looked at each of us with stunning blue eyes that made my head spin. "I think if we squeeze we could manage."

I made a puzzled expression. Just how small was her ship? Again, a small glint was before my eyes, but, since it was so quick, I didn't have time to decipher what the flare was. I shook my head, keeping my mouth shut from asking a waterfall of questions. _What the heck is going on? Why in the world are we fighting against a huge herd of aliens? Why was I having strange little flashbacks? Why... what... who... when... how..._ The list was endless. I sighed internally.

The four of us continued running till we came through a square porthole, stepping out onto a dock that was solely occupied by a large gunship. The beak-like hull was polished gold, with a green hued windshield and dual turrets on the sides. Small, yet powerful rocket barrels were holding the vessel up, along with the cannons that were bent in half to touch the floor. Red stripes lined the firearms top, and streaked along the metal linking the wings to the main, aerodynamic body. It was very high-tech, and looked to weigh about a ton.

I froze on the spot, skidding to a stop as I stared at the machine. I winced as another glister broke through my mind, and this time it hurt. The three noticed me a second later, halting too and looking back at me. "Rundas? Are you coming?" Samus said.

After fluttering my eyes a few times, the brightness of the-all-too-real recalling withdrawing into the distant and foggy corners of my brain, I nodded once. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just got... a _wicked_ headache..." I stumbled over to them, each step sending thudding pain through my head. I was clenching my teeth together, trying not to show my weakness in front of the trio.

"I've got some medical supplies in the ship if you want," Samus offered, her eyes brimming with worry for me.

"Sure... sounds great. Let's just go, okay?" I grunted, wanting so badly to lie down and relax. Why was I suddenly so weak? _Ah great... more questions... _I couldn't stop thinking.

My friends agreed, and we all boarded the small circular platform that raised us up and into Samus's oddly familiar ship. The cockpit was dark, but when we entered, the consoles and buttons lit up. I saw a thruster switch, an encoding device, a few buttons that were labeled with peculiar symbols, and a single chair. A small, cramped space was behind it, with a door on either arched wall. There was a little window in the bottom of the back wall, which I could see was looking out over the dock and into the war zone outside.

Samus walked to the lone chair, sat herself down, and said to the computer, "Install Varia Suit."

In an orange glow, armor materialized around her body, and I goggled at the exact suit that I had imagined. I had been _holding_ Samus Aran?! This was getting a little spooky. I continued to watch her as she looked back, offering me a smile that I could see through her translucent, green visor. "Make yourselves comfortable. This is going to be one heck of a flight." She reverted her attention to the many icons and switches on the HUD.

I shivered, and Ghor placed his hand on my shoulder, shoving me onto the floor. There I sat in the claustrophobic area, curling into a ball to let Dray and him have room too. My move didn't make much difference, and Ghor only had just enough margin to fit himself in between the back of the chair, walls, and me.

We both looked to Dray, who was pursing her purple lips. After a moment, she shrugged, smiling. "Ah well, I'll fit somehow." The girl seated herself in Ghor's lap, wriggling into a comfortable position. The robot turned bright red, and the floor became hot as he did. I followed with my eyes a small drop of sweat that trickled from the top of his head and down his metal face. "Am I disturbing you, Ghor?" Dray flirted, grinning wider. He giggled in a love-struck tone, shaking his head and trying to get rid of his glimmering blush.

"Everybody ready?" Samus asked, laughing a bit too. I nodded, as did the others with me, and we rose out of the bay, making our first skein through the battleground at near mock-speed.


	19. Remembrance

"Can you go _any_ faster?!" I asked with a shaky voice, bouncing up and down with the fighter. Dray and Ghor were doing the same thing, grunting and trying not to hit each other. "I don't want to be a critic or anything, Samus, but you suck at piloting!"

She chuckled. "It's not that I suck, I just can't go slow, Rundas. The ships around us would start shooting. It's better if we just blow through them," I saw her happy grin. "Plus I have a need for speed!" She hit the accelerators, and we went faster, hitting a rough joint in the battle field. The three of us in the back all banged our heads on the low ceiling.

"Ow!" I moaned, and noticed to the two across from me. Dray's arms were around Ghor's neck, and he was clutching her body for dear life. I nudged Samus's knee, which was the only part of her my shoulder armor could touch. "Look..." I muttered.

She did, smiling. "Aw... precious! I wish I had a camera, right now..." she said softly, and I couldn't help but snigger.

Ghor noticed my chortling, and looked at me. "What's so funny?"

I shrugged, watching ships dart by through of the front window, past Samus's head. "Nothing! Nothing at all." The pilot's shoulder pads shook as she snickered too.

I felt his gaze on me, suspicious and cautious. "I'm starting to believe the real Rundas is coming back. All tricky and sarcastic... What aren't you telling me?"

"Spill it! I hate when people keep secrets!" Dray coerced, giving me a stare that demanded truth. I stayed my ground, keeping my mouth shut. "C'mon, Rundas!!"

"Nope."

"If you're not going to tell us, then why'd you bring it up in the first place?" Ghor asked in annoyance, frowning.

"I didn't. I was just laughing, you got all nosy about what I was laughing at." I simply responded, shooting the nuzzling couple a you-can't-get-anything-out-of-me glance.

The robot rolled his eyes. "You're coming back, all right. But with your cocky and arrogant attitude..." he said the last sentence in a murmur.

I leaned forward, practically in his face. "What's that supposed to mean? _Cocky and arrogant? _Is that some sort of crack about the proud Phrygisian race?"

"Man, Rundas, chill!" Dray warned, tightening her grip on her cradler's neck. "Don't get so worked up over it."

I smirked. "I won't _chill_," I raised my hands and froze the two of them onto the wall. They were shocked. "you guys will." I leaned back, stretching my legs and arms. "Now you can embrace all you want." They started to move beneath it, groaning and shouting at me to release them. I ignored, smiling in triumph.

"You better get that ice off once we get down to Phaaze II, got it?" Samus said, her voice authoritative. "I'm not scraping it off."

"I will, don't worry. I planned on taking them out anyway." I reassured her, leaning my head back and blinking against a glint from the ice covering Dray and Ghor. "How much longer?"

She sighed. "A few more minutes. Shouldn't be too long."

Samus was abruptly quiet, her armored body still. I was a little concerned, and got up from my sitting position while trying not to hit my head. Kneeling, I placed both my hands on her shoulders, leaning into her view. "You okay? You seem... sad."

She cast her eyes down, tapping her fingers on her knees. "I'm just thinking, that's all. You shouldn't be worried."

"Don't lie, Samus. I know when you're unhappy." She was still silent. "You can tell me anything."

She finally exhaled after an extensive pause. "I'm scared."

I was about to snort out loud, but held it in for some reason. "Scared? Why?"

"I have this bad feeling in my gut... Like something bad is going to happen. I'm not sure what, though." Samus looked at me, her eyes gloomy. They made me feel blue too.

"Everything's gonna work out, you'll see." I rubbed with my pointer finger her cheek, which was covered by her armor. "We're the good guys. Justice will prevail and all that stuff, right?"

Samus went stiff, her fist clenching slowly. "You said it again."

I was alarmed. "Well it just popped into my head. Is that bad?"

"The first time you said it, in that elevator, you went mad a month afterward." Her words were hard, and I caught a hint of stifled anger in them. "Then the second time, you nearly bled to death from extreme dehydration." She turned her head to me, eyes critically watching me. "Please, don't do anything that'll make you kill yourself. I won't be able to handle it."

"Sure," I said slowly. "Anything you say, Samus." That had happened to me? I...

She leaned her head against mine, breathing deeply. "Please... please..." Samus reached up and cupped my bruised cheek in her hand. Hot prickles shot into my face when she touched me, and I shivered inside.

It felt so familiar... Why? Why did it? Yet _more _questions buzzed through my mind. "Samus..." I said.

"Hm?" she responded, a hint of breathlessness in her tone.

I licked my lips. "How... did we meet?"

She sighed, this time with pleasure. "Gandrdayda, Ghor, you, and I were hired by the Galactic Federation to deliver vaccines to the Aurora Units. The Space Pirates had planted viruses into the AU network, and Dane wanted to get each Unit cleansed. We met in the briefing room, where he told us what to do. You didn't speak to me, but I could feel you looking at me as the Admiral explained."

I stopped her. "Why didn't I say anything? Was I too shy?"

Samus chuckled lightly. "I don't know. But, after that, the Space Pirates disabled the planetary defense system on Norion. We were sent down there to reactivate the cannon generators, for a Leviathan Seed was on its way to impact the planet. You saved me several times on Norion. From Space Pirates, Ridley, and then..." she trailed off.

I shook my head, trying to process all that she was saying. "What happened next? This is starting to get good." It was interesting, and I _thought_ I glimpsed some of it. Little twinkles of something that supposedly happened. I listened intently as she continued.

"We ended up bringing the cannon back online, and went to the control room to aim it at the Leviathan. We were about to shoot it, but something happened. Dark Samus came to stop us, and we battled her as she shot Phazon at us..."

"Dark Samus? Who is she?"

"A doppelganger of mine. She's dead now, hallelujah. Anyway, you and Gandrayda and Ghor passed out from the Phazon exposure, and I destroyed the Leviathan weakly. It was hard, it hurt so bad to move. Plus, my body was slowly shutting itself down. Eventually, we all succumbed to comas, and woke up a month later finding out we were self generation Phazon, with no negative side effects. Then we got the PED Suits, and you three went to different worlds to rid the planets of the Leviathans. You guys failed miserably and I had to finish the missions for you." She raised a thin eyebrow at me.

I sheepishly smiled. "Sorry..."

Samus laughed a few times. "It's all right. Bryyo and Elysia are safe from corruption. And now we're going to safe the Pirate Homeworld from it. Even though I _really _don't want to."

I was about to ask why, but my words caught in my throat. We were now staring at a giant sphere made of pure blue, with twisting clouds that covered the surface. I gawked, my speech returning. "Is that...?"

"Phaaze II. That's where the armies are coming from, and that's where we're going to put an end to this war once and for all." Samus was now all business, and pushed the engines harder, the ship increasing speed. I gripped the chair, the sudden burst of velocity nearly throwing me back into the cramped area behind me. "You ready? This is going to be one heck of a battle."

I smiled. "Bring it on, Phaaze II. Bring it on."

"That's the Rundas I know and love! Yeah!" she cheered, her voice joyous and motivated. "Let's kick this planet's butt!"

"As hard as I can?" I asked delightedly, newfound happiness pumping through my system.

"No," Samus said curtly. Then her tone softened. "As hard as _we_ can. We have to work together on this. Don't be going all lone-bounty hunter on me, okay? We're in this as one."

I considered this. Us. As one. Together. Nobody else. _Love_. "This mission's gonna be a breeze!"

"Between the two of us it is. Hey, could you unfreeze Gandrayda and Ghor? I think they're getting a little antsy." She motioned back at the solid coating of ice that glued the two aliens to the wall.

"Sure," I turned and placed my palm on the ice, absorbing the covering from their bodies with little effort. "Better?"

Ghor was gasping for breath, and shot me a glare. "Do you... know... how evil... you are?"

Dray steadied her gulps for oxygen, and said in a girlish tone, "I thought it was pretty nice. A little stuffy, and cold, but nice." She traced down Ghor's jaw with her index finger. "Wouldn't you agree?" The robot shined scarlet.

"We're here, guys. Prepare to land." Samus said, the ship nose dipping as blue light poured in from Phaaze II through the window, and I felt my guts rise as the vessel dropped. "Ghor, could you get a good map of the Pir- Phaaze II? We need to get some Hazard Shields, the acid rain is pouring down there."

"As you wish," he agreed, looking down to his arm and clicking buttons. After a few moments, Ghor said, "There's an armory where we can get them, just off the second hall on the first landing sight. There should be enough to go around the four of us."

"Good. There's a lot down there we haven't seen before. We've got to be careful." We entered the atmosphere, toxic Phazon clouds rushing past the window as the beak of the fighter lit up with blue fire. The ship jostled and jerked with the turbulence, rocking us around violently like before. I held my hands on the ceiling and held myself semi-steady, not wanting to bonk my head again.

We continued our descent, and after a time the clouds parted, revealing the familiar surface of corrupted Phaaze II, which I had seen in a wink of remembrance. My stomach churned, but not from the rough ride.

Samus docked the ship on a landing platform, which was overgrown with Phazon goo and tendrils that wiggled skyward. The four of us stepped out of the ship, staying beneath its cover from the deadly rainfall that the heavens weeped. Samus activated the fighter's hull, which flashed and then deflected the drops that landed on it. They ran down the edge in mini waterfalls.

"Well this is unfortunate..." Ghor mumbled as we stood, irresolute of what to do.

"How are we going to get to the inside of the base when its streaming out there?" Dray worried, staying close.

Samus squinted through the curtain of poisoned water. "Maybe if I parked closer-" she cut herself off, leaning forward and shouting, "What is that?!"

The three of us searched, finding instantly a brilliant comet that was blazing its way towards us. I stared hard at it, and found it not to be a celestial chunk of ice, but a ship that was spiraling, its engines destroyed. We all gaped as it came into range, landing with a huge crash onto the drenched pathway that stretched before the site.

Once the smoke cleared, we watched someone rise from the wreckage, heavily armored and extremely tall. They pressed a button on the side of their helmet, and the visor pulled itself back with a hum. "Greetings, hunters. It is good to know that you landed safely." The voice of the creature was deep and scholarly, and red eyes studied each of us with gratitude. He turned around, shrugging as the ship sparked and began to melt in the virulent rain. "I guess I was hapless."

"Do you have a Hazard Suit, U-Mos?" Samus asked him, sounding largely relieved.

"Yes. I made it myself. It was quite simple, actually. I also brought along four more for you all." U-Mos handed each of us a hand-sized capsule, which was glowing blue inside. "Put them on, we must make haste."

We did so, applying the Hazard Suits on our bodies. I smiled, my suit was cool, and it fit my Phrygisian figure perfectly. This U-Mos was quite talented! I made a mental note to remind him of that later.

"What are you doing here?" Samus asked in disbelief. "Have you come to help us?"

"Absolutely. I wanted to make sure you succeeded, and I wanted to aid you. Come, I know what is happening with the armies and who is leading them." U-Mos turned, resealing his visor and treading through the rain. We followed, I a bit hesitant. "I have devised a plan that will allow us to defeat the enemy and return balance to the galaxy. Are you ready to hear it?" We each nodded. "Very well."


	20. To Overthrow the Overthrowing

"...understand?" U-Mos finished, stepping over a deep puddle of harmful liquid.

My brain was still buzzing from his long explanation, and I think Samus, Dray and Ghor were also trying to contemplate the intricate scheme. The rain pattering against my helmet didn't aid in my thinking, and I was getting a little sick of all this moisture. "So let me get this straight..." I muttered aloud, trotted behind Ghor. "You want us to split up and take down the armies? Doesn't that seem..."

"Difficult? Yes, it may be a little intimidating, Rundas, but if we do it properly it will work." U-Mos replied, ducking beneath a low hanging beam that was covered in glowing moss. "I will have Gandrayda and Ghor join the remainder of the battalions, learning from the inside who the leader is."

"But why me? I don't exactly fit in..." the robot pointed out worriedly, lowering his head. "The Wotans would know I wasn't part of them, and Gandrayda could just morph into a Space Pirate, or a Cyclosian."

"You speak truth, Ghor. But, you haven't forgotten that we could just give you some Phazon to armor, and then you would blend right in, correct?" U-Mos assured, a partially invisible grin was beneath his visor as he turned and looked at us. "Besides, you are the most knowledgeable, and will know the weaknesses and strengths of the infantry. It is dire we have you with Gandrayda."

Ghor perked up. "Oh! Well then, I will accept the challenge." He looked to Dray, who's armor moved with her legs and body. "Will you be able to handle it?"

She snorted. "I can take being a spy. What I won't be able to deal with is you and your weird vocabulary," her voice dripped with sarcasm and jest. She playfully punched Ghor in the shoulder. "You really confuse me sometimes."

He laughed diffidently, but it was covered by Samus's question. "So Rundas, you and I are going to search for the Leviathan Seed?"

U-Mos nodded. "Indeed. I have studied that the Seed is deep within the planet, and is further corrupting the Pirate Homeworld. I believe in order to eradicate the Phazon from the alien races we must destroy it. Then possibly the Homeworld will be cleansed and return to the Space Pirates."

Samus groaned. "Do we have to? They're the scourge of the stars."

I looked to her. "Why do you dislike them so much?"

She went stiff. "They killed my parents."

I was shocked, but I said anyway, "I loathe my parents."

"And I hate the Space Pirates." Her answer was short, and I refrained from talking about the matter anymore.

"Where will we find the Leviathan Seed?" I asked U-Mos, changing the subject.

He seemed relieved to be off of the topic, and relaxed the tension in his shoulders. "We are a mile away. It should not be long before we arrive. But I must warn you now, hunters," he cautioned Samus and I. "The planet's nutrients in the layers have mutated the Seed, and it is far more durable and strong. My hopes are that it will not be too imperishable and that through our power we shall conquer it." I could sense confidence in his voice, yet, at the same time, some fear.

"What if we can't destroy it?" I asked, which brought with it deep silence, only faltered by the trickle of the tainted rain.

"Then we will have lost the battle with Phazon, and the war with the universe." U-Mos replied sadly as we stopped in a courtyard, where the pools of water were enormous. "We must part ways here, hunters. I wish you all the best of luck. May you return triumphant and conquer your enemies." He stepped away from Dray and Ghor, and Samus and I followed him. We stood across from each other. "Farewell."

The two looked at each other, then offered each of us a smile and a wave. "Don't die, okay?" Dray said, lightening the goodbye a tad. "There's no coming back this time."

"Give that Leviathan a good whomping for us, all right?" Ghor remarked, the red lights on his face and limbs softening to blue. "And Rundas," I gave him my full attention. "Remember... something... Anything. I would give my life to have my old friend back."

I went numb suddenly after hearing his plea, and watched with unclear feelings Dray and Ghor turn and walk away from the three of us. They sloshed through the fluid, leaving the area through a circular door.

"Well. Let us resume the search for the Leviathan." U-Mos said as I thought, pivoting as well and strolling across the yard. "The fate of the galaxy depends on us, now."

Samus followed him, but I stayed put. I heard their footsteps stop, and then Samus's voice beckon to me, "Rundas? Aren't you coming?"

I looked back, my gaze boring into U-Mos's visor. "If I go, can you promise me something?" my tone was shaky.

He shifted his weight around from one foot to the other. "Of course, Phrygisian. Whatever you ask."

I swallowed. "Can you give me my memories back?"

U-Mos froze. "I do have psychic powers... Why do you wish? Have you forgotten something?"

I nodded. "I got hurt, and lost everything. I want to remember. I _want_ to. Please, U-Mos? Please help me?"

He looked at a plash of acid rain, cogitating on my request. "I will see what I can do. But for now, we must get to the Leviathan. Only then will I restore your memories, Rundas. Now, follow me. We need to get to the Seed as swiftly as possible."

Samus and I obeyed, running after U-Mos as he darted through a porthole.


	21. Devastating Discoveries

** Here we go! Okay, this chapter is from Ghor's perspective. Hope you enjoy it! By the way, I encourage you to grab a dictionary, I used big words in this! **

Gandrayda and I were alone now. Just walking together through the rain that battered its poisons against the already corrupted planet. I found myself.... joyed at standing in the downpour. It was somewhat pleasant. Though, I knew that we weren't strolling for recreation. We were going to join the demented army of aliens, but first, we had to get some cover to disguise our true states of mind.

"So, are we heading to an armory or something?" Gandrayda asked me.

"Yes. There should be one nearby." I responded, checking the map hologram on my wrist. "Just around the corner."

"Ghor," she said. "did you mean what you said to Rundas? That you miss the old him?"

She studied me with her purple eyes as I was silent. They were questioning, and I looked away, focusing on the shower that teemed down, sighing. "I long to laugh with him again. Remember at the party on Olympus? After we escaped Dark Samus? Then the meeting, where Rundas kicked Noxus? And then the tournament we had on Norion with the other bounty hunters? Then... then..." I trailed off after saying those sentences quickly, thinking of how fun and memorable the experiences Samus, Rundas, Gandrayda and I had shared were. "I looked up to him, and now that he knows nothing... I have no reason for valuing..."

"Sure you do. We just have to think of some way to get his memories back. Shouldn't be too hard, right?" she said dubiously.

"Returning someone's mind back to its original state is extremely difficult. We don't know anything about Rundas's brain. I'm not sure experimenting would do him or us any good..." I muttered in defeat.

"Well, I'm not too good with science and stuff, so we'll just see how it turns out, okay?" she assured me, giving my arm a pat. Her touch was comforting, and my sadness melted away in the slightest. "Let's complete this mission and hope for the best."

"Thank you, Gandrayda." I said, smiling.

She shrugged. "No problem."

"All right, the armory is right here," I pointed out, stopping us both at a locked door. "But how do we access it?"

Gandrayda smirked. "Simple. Break the door down!" I watched as the little Jovian morphed and flashed into a hulking Berserker Knight, with Phazite plating and vicious claws that could have ripped my head clean off. I took a step away as the monster leaned her large body back, kicking the seal and blowing it straight into the armory with a boom. I covered my head from the splatters of gooey Phazon that gushed with the tremor, and peeked between my arms to my friend, who was transforming back into her normal self again. "See? Easy!"

I lowered my hands, walking past her and ducking into the arsenal room. The flickering lights overhead lit up the diverse supply of Space Pirate weaponry and panoply, and I searched the reserve thoroughly.

"So we're getting armor, right?" Gandrayda asked, following behind me and out of the acid rain. "Do you see any?"

I halted in front of a squat shelf, reaching down for the pleated covering. "Right here. There you go," I turned and handed the chargers to her, and our hands overlapped.

I froze, as did she, and we both stared at our touching palms. The zing that prickled my fingers was so great that they desensitized, and my breath caught in my mouth. I was glued to the spot, completely transfixed at the sight of the two of us touching again. "Oh my gosh..." I whispered, and Gandrayda's face flushed bright pink.

She quickly took her hands back, along with the armor and turned. "Don't look... K?"

I obeyed, my cheeks getting hot as well. "U-uh... Yes..." I took a few Phazite plates, removing my Hazard Suit and laying it on the empty ledge. Then I equipped my mechanical body with the bluish armor, which, if my scannings were correct, would protect me from the harsh rain.

Once finished, I waited for a few moments, staring out of the thick yet small, red glowing window in the wall. I thought I saw a shadow move across the glass.

"Ready. Do I look reasonable?" Gandrayda's voice cut my gaze, and I looked back to her. She was full clad from chin to toe in ice-blue Phazite, the mutagen curvaceous, matching her body. She looked tougher, like a force to be reckoned with. I ogled, and realized that she was posing for me. "Well?"

I blushed. "You look great. I uh, wouldn't notice the difference." My words were muffled, and I made a skilled attempt to try and make them intelligible. "Um... How do _I_ look?"

Gandrayda giggled, placing the tip of her thumb between her front teeth. "Devilishly handsome. Does that work?"

My face reddened again, and I stared at my feet. "Yes! I guess that would suffice..." I cleared my throat. "We should probably go find the-"

Someone came into the armory. Their figure was streamlined, and maddening amounts of spikes protruded out of their limbs. But I couldn't see their face, the bright outside was obscuring them from my recognition. "What are you two doing in here?" My mind instantly clicked, and I knew the hissy, proud tone of the Kriken bounty hunter Trace. "The ᾏРђѦ is on the move. We must hurry!"

At last, Trace was visualizable. His uniquely shaped body was glowing with Phazon, and his single blue eye in his tear-drop shaped head was piercing and evil. I noticed the gut-wrenchingly large spines on his arms and legs, practically ready to tear something apart. Veins of Phazon were coiled around his physique, all of them pulsing as one. He looked horrible.

I swallowed, but said in a stern, unmovable voice, "We will follow you."

Trace nodded once. "Good. Let's go," he turned and we were forced to go after him, back into the acid rain. The precipitation I was relieved did not harm Gandrayda or I, and merely bounced off of the Kriken with taps. "It's good to know you've chosen the right path, hunters. We were beginning to think that Samus Aran had taken full control over you."

"She's a menace. A complete twit." Gandrayda spat, giving me a roguish smile once I looked at her. "I couldn't stand her whiny, babbling voice."

Trace covered his ears. "You and me both, baby. You and me both," he groaned.

I seized the opportunity behind his back and scanned him. The robotic purring was unheard in the heavy deluge. Once completed, I read the entry-

_"Subject known as Trace has been severely exposed to Phazon. The Kriken has been injected, fed, and bathed in the mutagen, and it now naturally courses through his body, giving him enhanced strength, height, and reflexes. He is deadly at any range if challenged, and bears a medley of extreme weaponry that surpasses yours, including guns, knives, grenades, and poisons. Trace although, still favors his Imperialist, and has had it combined with his arm to be with him at all times."_

I stared at his veined back. What had Phaaze II done to these poor aliens? I couldn't imagine what the other bounty hunters and their races would be like... How did my culture turn out? I was afraid to know. What about Gandrayda's? And Rundas's? I shuddered, but not from the cold, merciless death that fell from the sky in the form of water.

"Where is the meeting ground?" I asked, trying to rid my mind of appalling images I was thinking up.

"It was once where our mistress Gandrayda fought with the good-for-nothing heel Samus. It's miraculous how eight full colonies of aliens fit in that room. Well, our numbers _were_ a tad small, due to the fact that Phrygisian women can't manipulate ice, and that the older men were too weak to fight. Oh well, at least we've got Rundas, he's the leader of the Phrygisian section." Trace laughed cruelly, afterwards excusing himself for his sudden hysterical outburst. "It's hard to stifle emotions when corrupted. Wouldn't you agree?"

I nodded. "I've shot a few of my friends out of pure starkness. I have to say it was fun!" Lying was... strangely arduous...

Trace smirked. "I'd better stay away from you, then. I've heard that plasma cannon can really murder somebody. Anyway, we're here, go and find your groups, the ᾏРђѦ will be here shortly."

He left us, joining his band of mutated Krikens. He stood at the head of them, waiting for whoever this _ᾏРђѦ_ was. I looked at Gandrayda, and she looked at me. Eventually, we had to bade goodbye to each other, and stepped with our crowds of unhinged aliens. I felt uncomfortable, the stares of the corrupted Wotans shining on me like spotlights.

The room went pin-drop quiet, and to break the silence, I coughed into my fist. Why wasn't anyone speaking? This was making me ill-at-ease... But then, the edgy atmosphere was broken by a gruff voice, "Wait... where's Rundas?"

All multi-species heads turned towards the Phrygisian huddle, where each male was staring around. "He's not here?"

Confusion swept the half-swarm like wildfire, and questions flitted around-

"How could he not be?"

'Has he gone missing?"

"Something is not right..."

Somebody smacked my shoulder. "Why don't we ask our _newest arrival?" _I looked back to see a very cumbersome Wotan, with shining armor and an aggressive snarl. "What do you know, Ghor? Why isn't the ice hunter here?"

"I... uh..." I took a few steps back, trying to evade the oncoming flow of suspicious aliens that gathered around me. Pretty soon, I hit somebody else, and cowered beneath a fearsome Sylux as the tentacles slithering from his body made rattling sounds when they shook.

"Ghor!!" I heard a familiar voice call, and turned towards the sound.

"Gandrayda!!" I cried out, as hands clenched into fists and guns cocked from my surrounding, skeptical pack. I reached for my plasma cannon, only to be stopped by a huge shadow that soared over the glass dome high above. All of us were watching it with wonder. The shape faded away in the distance as the rain shrouded its path.

"ᾏРђѦ!! But, why isn't the ᾏРђѦ stopping for us? Where is ᾏРђѦ going?" a scruffy voiced Spire wondered.

Sylux looked out the misty window, whispering, "Something's wrong..."


	22. Inside

** We shall commence the story with Rundas's perspective again. Mind you readers, this is about the same time as the last chapter begun, so just a warning. Meanwhile, with Rundas, Samus, and U-Mos...**

I shook my head, grunting, "No. There is no way you're gonna make me do _that."_

"Quit being such a milksop, Rundas. You can do this," Samus responded, her hands on her hips. "What, are you scared of jumping into a pit that is hundreds of feet deep and you don't know what's at the bottom?"

The three of us were standing on a rugged cliffside, which overlooked a fathomless hole that was mind-numbingly wide. It was completely black, no Phazonic light able to penetrate the thick darkness. This was where the Leviathan rested, and we needed to get down to it.

I had been asked to jump.

I gave Samus an obvious look. "Yes! I know the Leviathan's down there, but not anything else!"

U-Mos had been listening to us quarrel for a few minutes now, and was checking the depth of the Seed's impact crater. "It should not be too far down. Although, it is so deep you cannot see the Leviathan itself..."

"Exactly! We don't know how far it is, and I'm _not_ jumping to find out!" I folded my arms, glaring at the female bounty hunter with anger. Did she expect me to psychotically leap from a great height? I was tempted to freeze my feet to the ground.

Samus looked up to U-Mos, and I thought I saw them exchange a small nod. "I thought you were the most powerful hunter in the galaxy?" the woman chastised, shaking her head. "It seems to me that you're just a coward. Am I right, U-Mos?"

I stared at him. "Immensely," he replied in his literate voice, smiling. "It would be a shame to consider you pusillanimous."

I was taken aback. "I can assure you that I'm not whatever-you-said!" I sneered at the two of them. "I'll prove it right now!"

"So you'll jump?" Samus smirked.

"Of course I will. I'm no gutless chicken!!" I turned, and, with surprising bravery, launched myself off the bluff. I held in a scream as the darkness devoured me and my sight, covering my body in chill as the wind rushed past me. My arms and legs were flailing, and my eyes were streaming.

I fell for quite some time, hearing nothing but the fast breeze and the heavy beats of my heart. After a while, I found plummeting somewhat enjoyable, with my mind free and wandering. I was a little disturbed that I couldn't see anything, but it was worth having some time to think.

_So Dray and Ghor are with the armies, and Samus, U-Mos, and I are going to the Leviathan to destroy it. But... how does that tie in with wanting to know who the new leader was? Why in the world do we need to kill this stupid Seed in the first place? It looks like it wasn't causing any damage... But then again, it's corrupted the Pirate Homeworld and the brains of millions of aliens. Who, were now attacking the Galactic Federation._

_ Literal Hell in space? I should say, yes._

I had forgotten in all of my pondering that it wasn't the fall that hurts you, but the sudden stop at the end. And that hit me sooner than I thought. I landed on something hard and lumpy, knocking my breath out and making me gasp for air. I rolled painfully onto my back, clutching my stomach and trying to suck in as much oxygen as I could into my lungs. For a few seconds, all I could focus on was inhaling, and I was starting to get dizzy from it. But eventually, I was able to breathe, and lay on the swollen ground, gratefully alive.

I squinted through the pitch black, trying to figure out where I was. It was humid here, with a heavy Phazon taste in the air. I felt how firm and rough the floor was, trying to name the feel of it. I was greatly confused when I heard something like heavy breathing all around me, and I shuddered at the picture of being stalked. But who would possibly be following me? I was inside -if not near- a Leviathan Seed, after plunging numerous feet from the Homeworld surface high above. I shuddered again.

Cautiously getting to my feet, I felt around for any kind of wall. My hands were searching empty atmosphere, and I blindly wiggling my fingers for anything I could grasp. I found nothing, and dropped my hands to my sides in puzzlement.

Something landed with an "Oof!" a few meters away, along with a small squelch. I jumped, uttering a muffled screech and preparing myself for a battle. "That was painful..."

I recognized U-Mos's voice, and calmed myself. "Are you okay?" I followed his moans, kneeling and touching his furry back. "Are you injured?"

"No... Just... came down on something... sharp..." his tone was raspy and suffering. I was starting to adjust to the darkness, and could barely see him on his hands and knees, doubled over his abdomen. "Oh... X-Qar that hurts..."

"What hurts?" I asked worriedly.

"This... piece of... is it... machinery...?" U-Mos wheezed. "Very... angry..."

"The machine's angry?" I repeated, reaching forward and nudging something cold and ridged with my finger. "How can a-"

_"Aauggh!! Don't touch it!!" _U-Mos screamed, shoving my hand away from his stomach. _"Don't touch at all!!"_

I cowered back. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" His breathing was ragged and he started to cough. I heard the spills of blood on the floor and U-Mos choke.

A final thud came from behind us, this time it was a heavy _thunk_. I twisted around, and saw the faint outline of Samus on the ground. She was cursing, with the soft glow of her green visor illuminating the area vaguely. The hunter stood, coming over to us and looking around. "It's really dark here. The darkest I've seen a Leviathan."

"Yeah, mind turning your helmet light up a bit?" I asked, feeling small as I kneeled next to U-Mos.

Samus twisted a dial on her headwear, and the emerald glowed brightly. I was able to see her, along with the writhing, gooey looking walls and floor. My attention was however, diverted to U-Mos, who was holding his middle with pinched shut eyes.

"What happened? Are you all right?" Samus asked with anxiety, kneeling next to the tall alien and examining his wound. I got a closer look as she made him pry his hands away, and saw how much metallic golden blood was soaking his stomach area. A small, cylindrical, curving tube was protruding from his abdomen, which was deep black.

I studied it, and both Samus and I jerked back once we recognized it as a finger. U-Mos was horrified as well, and started to pull on the sick thing with all his might. His own fingers slipped as he tugged and yanked, and eventually it was free of his stomach. He discarded it to the side, and we each gaped at what he had landed on.

"Dark Samus..." were the only words the huntress could whisper. I noticed how similar both beings were, except the corpse we were staring at was missing its head, which lay only a foot away from the empty neck. The armored body was mangled, with a large whole stabbed through the chest. I shied away from the Phazon based blood that was pooled around it.

I suddenly got another torrent of memory, and clenched my head. A violent flurry of visions were whirling in my mind, all of them sinister and frightening. I saw the person known as Dark Samus attacking me, rushing into me, and using me as a puppet. I tried my hardest to shake the hallucinations away, and thankfully, they stopped.

Samus and U-Mos were both watching me with fearful eyes. "You remembered something?" the huntress said.

I nodded. "Yeah. This creepy chick right here." I pointed towards the ripped up cadaver. "Ugh..."

Samus froze as a large, slimy glob fell from the ceiling, running thickly down her left shoulder pad. She stared at the muck, and slowly each of our heads turned upwards.

A pair of big, cold, blue eyes were watching us from above, and with a deafening roar, a shadow dropped to our level on the ground. The place shook and the three of us got to our feet as best we could, stumbling and trying to balance in the tremor. I watched Samus aim her gun towards a fierce looking dragon, hissing in a hateful voice, "Ridley."


	23. Hanging By A Thread

For a few seconds, the three of us watched each him in silence. Now, Samus had turned her visor brightness up to maximum, and lime effulgence was casting light over the great, circular arena. I could fully see Ridley, in all his utter grotesqueness.

The dragon's body was mutilated. In some places were armor, and in others were his innards. Half of his face was skull, and the scrawny, decomposing neck was the only thing keeping his head on. Phazon plating was hanging loosely off of his rotting limbs. The open jaw bone was filled with highly sharpened teeth, and his wings were complete machine. The merciless sapphire eyes were blood curdling.

Ridley leaned forward, booming an ear-slitting shriek. Then he charged towards us, and we leaped to the sides to escape his attack. I dove with Samus, and U-Mos was on the other side of Ridley. The monster was standing over Dark Samus's body, uttering pitiful whimpers as he picked up the carcass in his claws. We all stared as he mourned.

I watched a lone tear gush from his eye, and it land softly on the gap in Dark Samus's chest. The real Samus pointed her gun at Ridley's rancid cranium, the barrel pulsed to attack. He didn't move a limb, except for tremble in mute sobs. I felt deep reaching grief for him.

Suddenly, the thin creature tightened his hands, crushing Dark Samus's corpse with snaps and spurts of Phazon blood. We all tensed as he let go of the remains, talons dripping bluely. Then, with a vicious sweep, Ridley's arm whacked into my chest, sending me careening backward and smashing into the veiny Leviathan wall. My breath was once again stolen from my lungs, and I sunk to the mushy floor with a mumbled groan.

Ridley got up from his crouched position, squawking menacingly at Samus and U-Mos. The beast stretched his robotic wings, and his long, half-rotted, half-droid tail thumped on the ground. With great beats, the demon lifted himself off the floor, making the chamber cool with the air his flaps produced.

U-Mos went and stood next to Samus, who I could tell was scanning the monster that flew overhead. I slowly got to my feet, scooting my way towards them and finally made it, with Ridley not caring about me personally and watching us intently.

"How many times do I have to kill you for you to _stay dead?!"_ Samus screamed.

"Any useful information?" U-Mos asked in a softer tone, coming over to me after and checking the cracks in my Hazard Suit.

She sighed, but still kept her gaze hooked to the zombie dragon. "My scans say that '_ᾏРђѦ' _Ridley is somewhat immortal, and the new leader of the armies from Phaze II. He's been entrusted with one heck of an assignment. After I beat him in his Omega form, someone tried to piece together his putrefied body parts -doing a terrible job, mind you- in an attempt to bring him back. He's been enhanced with Phazon, which is the only thing that's keeping him from falling apart." Samus shivered. "I've seen a lot of disturbing things in my lifetime, but this has got to be one of the worst."

"What should we do?" U-Mos quickly ducked as a fireball whooshed above his head. Ridley cackled.

"He's weak all over the place. I guess we just shoot him till he dies," Samus fired a burst of her cannon, plastering Ridley straight in the chest. "Which luckily, is what I do best." She sent out a wave of missiles.

I looked up at U-Mos, and his expression was utterly confused. "I do not have any weaponry. How shall I help, hunters?"

I shrugged, Samus not listening. "Maybe you could use your mind powers, or something. I don't know, whatever floats your boat."

He considered this. "Is there any specific vulnerable part of ᾏРђѦRidley? If so, I could tamper with his brain to make him think he is experiencing pain."

Samus kept fighting, but was rereading her screening. "His mouth wound hasn't healed, and neither has his chest or hand scars. I suppose you could attack those, Rundas, U-Mos." The hunter blasted an exceptionally large missile that was covered in ice, and once it struck Ridley, his peeling neck was frozen over.

I gaped. How in the world did she do that?!

U-Mos placed his six fingers on his temples, closing his eyes and humming. Samus remained attacking, and I decided to stop standing and do something, so I lifted my arms and shot ice at ᾏРђѦ up as thickly and dangerously as I could.

I made my mark several times, and, on a few of the spears, they sunk into his stringy guts, making the things bleed like crazy. We were all showered with the gory blue rain, and it seeped through the splits in my armor. I shivered. _Ridley blood... Eww...._

U-Mos caught my attention as he looked towards the beast, shouting in a low voice, _"Lortnoc ЏҁӥїԎ!!" _He threw his arms out widely, and red flash gleamed in the monster's eyes.

ᾏРђѦ's wings went inelastic, and he fell to the ground like a rock. Samus stopped shooting. U-Mos quickly put his fingers to his temples, mumbling more of his language, but keeping his gaze fixed on Ridley. We each watched the mangled body twitch and spout, with a garbled bellowing issuing from the open jaw that leaked boiling saliva. I was horrified, and Samus came to me, holding my arm.

I looked down at her in awe, feeling new comfort and happiness that she was this close to me. I smiled beneath my visor, recollection teetering on my mind.

My pleasure was broken by a sudden cry from U-Mos, who was holding his head and thrashing from side to side. His exclamations were pained, and he was digging his fingers into own his skin. Ridley stirred.

"He is... too strong..." U-Mos bawled, his fingers wetting from the gore cascading from the scratches. "I... can't..." He abruptly threw his head upward, screaming, _"LOOK OUT!!"_

I had barely enough time to shove Samus away from me as a clawed blur rushed forward. She gave a short clamor, but I cut her off as I howled when Ridley's hand smacked into me full on, throwing me backward into the wall. He got up from lying down, and crushed me beneath his degrading palm with another almighty roar. My bones and muscles were shooting numbness throughout my body, and I went limp as I felt my back start to give way.

Darkness began to invade my sight, and a relaxed feeling came over me, along with consoling warmth. I felt at peace, even though a part of my brain was wailing I was being flattened to death. Out of sheer bliss, I began to gradually let go.

"Oh no you don't, soulless corpse!!" I heard a distant voice screech, and then the pressure on my body faltered by an all-consuming light. There was blurt of surprise, and then I landed on the Leviathan's ground with a thump. More venomous shouts came from above me, but I dared not move, finally realizing the utter pain that was pulsing in every fiber of my being.

I was rolled gently only my searing back a second later, staring up at U-Mos. Little rivers of gold still ran down his face, but he seemed to have gathered his senses. His red eyes were thoughtful and his hands were skilled as he gently removed my sparking and splintered Hazard Suit, piece by piece.

I lolled my head over to Samus, who was completely wasting ᾏРђѦ Ridley like nobody's business. She was firing all sorts of missiles, charge shots and grapples at him that at this point, his body was nothing more than a shriveled, gangly, sinewy organ with legs, arms, and a head. I chuckled once, for it really hurt. "Man, she's a beast."

U-Mos pulled a shard of the Suit away and laid it on the ground. "That is what makes her so professional. I really admire her for that."

"Being a beast?"

He chortled. "No. Her dedication and care for her missions, and her friends. I wish I were more like her."

Samus had ripped off one of Ridley's arms, which lay fidgeting mindlessly. "Dang..." I got another laugh out of U-Mos.

"Can you stand? We must leave before-" he cut off as a heavy bang came from the left, and we both saw Samus standing in triumphant conquering over ᾏРђѦ Ridley.

She was sniggering and shooting her foe's cold and shredded body, saying teasingly, "What now, Ridley? I just kicked your butt for like, the _millionth _time? Ha! I always win!! You, Dark Samus, Mother Brain, and the X Parasites all suck!!" She turned with one last energy pelt at his lifeless face, walking to us as U-Mos helped me to my feet. He was hunched over so I could sling my arms around his shoulders. She sighed with satisfaction. "Well? Should we go? I've had my fun. Maybe that'll just about do it."

U-Mos checked a screen on his armor. "Actually yes. Now that ᾏРђѦ Ridley is dead, the rest of the armies are collapsing as well. The Chromia are all dying and if Phaaze II blows up, then the Phazon in all the galaxies will be destroyed. We must hurry in case the Leviathan Seed implodes, which will kill us all."

The two of them turned to leave, but I stopped them. "One problem. We jumped down this cliff, and unless you guys can float, we're not going anywhere."

Samus and U-Mos looked at each other. "Didn't think of that."

The Leviathan made a grousing noise, and the arena shuddered. The three of us watched the walls begin to drip Phazon, and then the pores we stood on secrete it. I and the others panicked when we heard rippling, and that's when the ceiling started to sink.


	24. Juggernaut

**Okay, so I've already used Samus, Rundas, and Ghor's POV's. Now, it's time for Gandrayda!! Let's keep going, fans!!**

What were these psychotic aliens talking about? ᾏРђѦ Ridley? What was '_wrong?'_ I shuddered inside for some reason, feeling as if I knew where the mysterious thing was going. I let go of the thought once it faded away into the fog, and low murmurs of concern began to travel around the crowded room. I caught a few of the whispers- "ᾏРђѦ... What troubles him?"

"Is it something with the Leviathan?"

"Samus! She must be here! Screwing with our Phazon source!"

I stopped listening, and felt someone's gaze on me. Turning, I found my old boyfriend Semblent studying me with his orange eyes. I fidgeted uncomfortably, remembering all too well the last time I met up with him. He and his platoon of Jovians had gotten smoked. How had he survived that attack?

I looked away, focusing on a glowing patch of my Phazite armor. I pricked off a little blue fungus, flicking it to the side and staring as Semblent came closer, looking at me hard.

I groaned under my breath. "What?"

He folded his arms, parting his lips to reveal his yellowish, sharp teeth. "Just examining your sheer beauty, Dray. That's all." he said in his tough, alluring voice.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. You're just checking me out." I glanced at the splatters of rain on the dome above my head.

Semblent chuckled, lowering himself on one leg. I gawked at him as he opened his palm to reveal a green, sparkling ring. My heart started to pound, pulse thudding loudly in my ears. "Gandrayda... Will you-"

I was _pissed_.

Semblent squealed shrilly once I kicked between his legs, and the jewelry in his hand clattered to the ground. He reached for his wounded parts, and I clenched my fists, hissing through my teeth, "That's for Rundas's memories, pervert!" I aimed a good punch on his sensitive, red spiked hair, and then once he swung his head back, kneed his jaw.

_ "Sakal!!" _he Jovianly swore. "What is your beef, woman?!" His black blood was running out from his mouth, and it sprayed when he spoke.

"Hello? You asked me to get married!! I'm only twenty!! I would never even go down a Jovian street with a spoiled, mama's boy, prince like you!!" As Semblent raised his gaze towards me, I slapped him across the face, my hand electrified. He fell to the ground, in pain and whining.

In my anger, I reached down and pinched the Chromia on his neck in my fist, pulling if off madly. More blood spouted, and soon my hand and Semblent's back were soaked. He screamed, and I grabbed the pitiful lowlife by his leg, transforming myself into a strong Berserker Knight. Then, with a loud crash, threw him and the parasite through and out the window. His cries died away as he fell hundreds of feet down, and I giggled internally when I heard the splats as they both hit the bottom.

Then I turned to the others, turning back into myself again. "Any other sickos want a piece of me?!" I felt a little bad after saying that though, because they all were armed and _freakishly _huge. I received a lot of gun cocks and many knuckle cracks in response of my question. I gulped, but got in a fighting stance.

A challenger stepped forward, thought they were so deranged I couldn't tell what species it was. The body was so... crooked and bubbly... I pictured myself vomiting in my head. They towered a few feet over me, but I didn't back down. A bounty hunter never declines a job or a battle that's worth it. Wait... was this battle worth it?

Right when we were about to begin brawling, a loud clank came from next to me, and I looked to find Ghor with his plasma cannon aimed at the gross life form. His glare was toxic, and could've melted the guy's messed up face. "If you want a fight, you're coming to me."

The opponent popped their shoulders and neck (_did_ it have a neck?!), laughing something low and in their throat. Then two of them started to assault each other, and Ghor was the quickest and most accurate. When he fired his gun, it made a nifty, hyped up fizzing sound, and blasted the curdling blue thing with crimson that ate away at the corrupting Phazon. I watched in giddy happiness, knowing that they were fighting over me.

Ghor shot the blobby thing for the final time, and it fell to the ground, boiling and moaning. The gathering all watched in twisted amazement. I grabbed Ghor's hand, exclaiming, "That was awesome!" 

He looked proud, and squared his shoulders all man-like. "Why, thank you, Gandrayda. It was a duty I am glad to have paid-"

"Get them!! They aren't corrupted!!" Trace shouted, pointing towards Ghor and I with a dramatic finger. "We must make them follow in Mother's footsteps!!"

With a roar had the potential to shatter glass, the entire multitude of mutated aliens advanced on us like a wave. I screamed, and hugged Ghor's arm for dear life. He grinned, and with newfound strength, began shooting the groups with multiple plasma bursts. "Help me, Gandrayda, I can't do it myself!" he shouted over the yells and stomps.

I obeyed, hurling electric discs and zapping anybody who got too close. It was easy, and since the herd had nowhere to go, they couldn't protect themselves. We wiped out nearly a fourth of them in a single minute, and pushed through the torrent of ticked off bodies towards the door, and safety.

After slaughtering the entire half of the army, Ghor and I left the arena, and splashed through the acid rain and braved the heavy fog that had descended the landscape. I squinted through the thickness of clouds, my friend keeping a closed hand over my wrist to make sure we weren't separated.

"You doing okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "I'm great! What about you?"

"Just trying to find the location of Samus, Rundas, and U-Mos! I have no idea where the are!"

"We're supposed to find them? He never said that!"

"Well I have a hunch we should! After all-!!" Ghor cut off and skidded to a watery stop, twisting his head around. "Oh no!"

I looked with him, seeing through the murk five air ships land on our area, several dozen, multi-species aliens emerging from each. We went back to back, facing our assaulters and readying our weapons.

"Give up! You can't beat us! You are clearly outnumbered!" a heavily armored Space Pirate commanded, and I recognized the snarly voice of Weavel. He lengthened his energy sword, which was menacingly large now. "We have successfully overthrown the Galactic Federation, and you and Samus Aran have lost this war!"

We were both shocked to hear that, and lessened our attention for fighting. "What?" I said in disbelief, staring wide eyed at the insane bounty hunter.

"You've failed! You've been defeated! Come quietly so this won't be painful!" Weavel growled, a smirk shining bright beneath his visor.

Ghor straightened up taller. "I wouldn't be so sure, Weavel. You never know what the future may hold."

Now it was the traitor's turn to be surprised. "What do you-" cut himself off as all of his company fell to the ground, one by one. I watched the Chromia on their necks screech, detaching themselves making to escape. But, mid crawl, they each collapsed, curling in on themselves and shriveling into black crisps. "No! No! The Leviathan! It supports the Chromia life!" Weavel mourned loudly, holding his head and growing weak in the knees as well. "It can't be...! I can't be!! I... It..."

The armored Pirate sunk to the floor, his mechanical suit shutting down with an audible, mechanoid moan. He landed on his chest, and the area around us became quiet.

It even stopped raining.

I looked up to the Wotan. "How did you know?"  He grinned, pointing to a monitor on his arm. "Got a transmission from Samus herself. The Leviathan is dying as we speak."

A wide grin started to creep its way onto my face. "You mean we still have a shot?"

He nodded. "Justice will prevail and all that stuff. Right?"

I laughed. Everybody was quoting Rundas lately. "Let's go find them!"

"Agreed."


	25. To the Rescue

"So they're down inside the Leviathan right now?" I asked as I struggled to keep up with Ghor's brisk run. "How are we going to get to them? I don't wanna fall."

"Simple," he said, clanking along through the puddles. "I am going to find Samus's ship, merge with it, and then use her coordinates to find and pick them up."  I nodded. "Pretty good idea. But there's one problem."

"What is that?"

I chuckled. "How are Samus, Rundas, U-Mos, you, and I going to fit inside that tiny little cockpit?"

Ghor's face went blank. "That does draw up a problem."

I raised an eyebrow. "Might wanna think things through, robo-boy. Or that's gonna be one tight and awkward ride."

He sighed. "I suppose we'll just crunch in there the best we can. I have no other solution."

I giggled. "Should be fun."

Ghor and I retraced our steps back to Samus's ship, where it stood proud and shiny in the Phazon sunlight. I was a little confused as to how my friend was going to 'merge' with her fighter, but stayed tuned and watched him approach the vessel.

I stopped and sat down a few meters away, crossing my legs and observing the robot as he unhinged the hatch on the hull with a yank. He tossed the golden piece of metal to the side and started to toy with the mechanics and wires.

He pulled his hand back after a zap. "Ouch!!"

"Data processor breached. Warning, hull integrity is compromised," a female, computer voice cautioned, and sparks were glowing menacingly on the console. Ghor was rubbing his singed fingers. "Anti-hack systems online."

He tilted his head to the side. "Getting self-defensive, now, are we? Well I, Ghor of Wotan VII, will not give up!" he bent over and began to resume his illegal accessing, coping with the shots of electricity and the sophisticated protests from the PC. "Ha ha ha! I am too smart for you, simple machine!"

"Simple?" I echoed, standing and waltzing over as he removed a large battery-like chunk of metal from inside the roof. He discarded the box with a ringing thud on the ground. "That thing can move mountains."

"Not necessarily, Gandrayda," Ghor wiggled his pointer finger, extracting more cyborgish parts. "Samus's gunship can only grapple things, drop missiles, receive orders to land, repair itself, perform suit maintenance, and then data backups. I'm not sure this device has the kind of power to tug peaks." He chuckled and shook his head, lowering himself into the hole he had carved.

I frowned. "It was just a figure of speech. Don't need to bore me with your scientific nerd talk." I folded my arms and listened to the fighter hum to life, the green visor windshield lighting up brightly. The damaged hatch sealed itself, and Ghor had completely disappeared from my view. I stared at the ship.

The cylindrical lip of the vessel lowered itself with a small hiss, inviting me to board. "Get in. We must hurry."Ghor's voice came from the inside, but I wasn't sure where in the world he was.

I slowly got onto the pedestal, and it lifted me up as soon as I did. With a slight cry of surprise, I entered the familiar cockpit, but was alone. "Ghor?" I glanced around at the single chair, though, knowing well enough that he wouldn't be there.

"Sit down, Gandrayda. Or I'll take off without you ready." The seat swiveled around, and I reluctantly sat myself in it. I grasped the sides of it as I was flipped back to the complicated console, with its blinking lights and confusing buttons. I clasped my hands in my lap, careful of not touching anything.

A diagram Ghor's face appeared on the HUD, and he smiled. "Good, you're comfortable. I have their position, so hold tight while I take us there." After he said that, the ship lurched, and I heard the blast of the engines. Then, we gradually made our ascent into the dissolving clouds.


	26. Mystery

** Rundas's POV again. Sorry for all the jumping around between minds, but I have to! It helps tell the story! Anyway, have fun reading!**

I dodged a rogue Phazon glob, it mixing with the rest of the pooling floor. The Leviathan was groaning and filling up our little chamber with goop, which had started to devour ᾏРђѦ Ridley's body. Dark Samus was nothing more than crushed, black remains, which floated on the surface of the blue sludge next to my ruined Hazard Suit.

The three of us were up to our knees in Phazon, and we were struggling to escape. "Can't you use your ice to fly us out of here, Rundas?" Samus asked, pulling her leg out of the slime with a sucking noise.

I shook my head, scraping off slop from my shoulder. "No!"

"Why?"

"There's too much stuff caking my feet. I need to have open hands or feet to manipulate it," I looked at her and U-Mos. "Plus I could never carry you both."

U-Mos sighed. "This is a terrible predicament we've gotten ourselves into. I never imagined myself dying in this way, trapped inside a monster, with death oozing from the walls and floor..."

"Don't give up now, guys! We'll get out of this alive. We always have." Samus reassured, confident as usual. Her statement made me relax a little bit.

After a silent pause, U-Mos whispered, "Oh..." He clutched his wounded abdomen, hunching over.

"What is it?" Samus wondered, glancing at his shining hand.

"It... suddenly hurts..." he grunted, pulling out his fingers from the gash, with the tips of them blue. "Is this... Phazon...?"

Samus leaned closer, scanning it. "You've got 30% in your blood. How much have you taken in?"

U-Mos weakly shook his head. "None... Why do you ask?"

She pondered. "You only have Phazon in my bloodstream if you've inhaled fumes or actually absorbed it," U-Mos's feathered 'ears' drooped and his eyes sank. "I don't see how you've gotten it..."

She waded her way through the mire and in front of him, and was closely watching the hole in his stomach. "Rundas..."

I dabbled over, "Yes?"

"Has it gotten bigger to you?" Samus pointed to the cut, which issued gold mixed with blue.

Indeed. The circular gap had widened from her pointer finger sized, to about five inches in width and height. It was deep, and I swore I saw something like an organ inside it. I peered harder, trying to place a name on U-Mos's innards that barely showed.

He shivered, and covered the slash so we couldn't see it. "I do not wish to be observed anymore, if you will."

Samus and I pulled back immediately, acknowledging his request. "Hmm..." she thought aloud to herself, tapping on her helmet. U-Mos's shoulders slouched as he heavily exhaled in pain, and I turned my head upward at the sound of something familiar.

Another loud roar came from the high cavern, but it wasn't from the Seed. The three of us watched Samus's gunship descend into our swamping arena, hovering a few feet above the writhing blue surface. I and the other two gawked in gratitude.

Dray popped out of the top hatch, grinning. "Heya, people! Say, in case you guys _want _to be blown to smithereens, you'll join Ghor and I in leaving this gross planet behind. What do you say?"

We all agreed, wallowing over to the ship and boarding the open pedestal lip. Samus made U-Mos and I -along with herself- shake off the Phazon from our legs before getting inside her gunship. Apparently, she had designed and built it herself, and didn't want any Phazon grunge on it.

Once clean, we were pulled up into the limited cockpit, where Dray sat in the back. Ghor was there too, and was reaching to the ceiling, reattaching wires and functions that he had disabled. "Sorry, Samus," he apologized with a faint smile. "I had to merge with your ship..."

The owner shrugged. "It's okay."

He gave her an actual simper. "Thank goodness. Oh!" He got a glimpse of U-Mos. "What happened to him?"

"We'll explain a little later," she excused, helping me with the tall creature. His arms were around both our shoulders, and he was bowing his head and moaning. "He needs to sit down.

"Gandrayda, move!" she ordered, the purple girl rising and squeezing herself next to the cyborg. "Easy does it, now..." Samus cued me to lower U-Mos down against the wall, cushioning his head easily. He slowly closed his red eyes, pressing his hand to stop the increased blood flow from his stomach. "Everybody on the floor, now. We have to get going." the pilot commanded, turning and taking her seat.

I looked to Dray and Ghor, who were puzzled. "Uh... Samus? We've got a problem..." I mumbled.

"What is it?" she flipped around, realizing what we were troubled with. "You won't all fit..."

Dray playfully nudged Ghor's shoulder. "Told you!"

The Leviathan griped outside of the vessel, and a low buzzing sounded afterward. Ghor sat next to U-Mos's foot, towing Dray next to him. "We'll make due with the room the Luminoth left for the two of us."

I glanced to Samus. "I guess I'm sitting up there with you?"

She turned her head away. "I guess so..." She stood, letting me sit in the chair. Then, to my heart's flutter, she gingerly placed herself in my lap. I gasped silently. "You okay with me right here?"

I nodded. "Perfectly. Okay... so I'll just let you drive?"

"Yeah," Samus replied, resting her palm on a blipping scanner. A map screen flashed on the HUD, and she touched where she wanted to go. Several hundred miles away from Phaaze II at an abandoned Space Pirate weaponry outpost called _Tyhorn._ As soon as she confirmed her desire, the ship hummed, and we were lifted out of the dying Leviathan.

After a few minutes of ascent, a conversation sparked. "So, what exactly happened to U-Mos?" Ghor asked curiously.

I and Samus looked back at the three behind us. The Luminoth was breathing heavily, blood cascading through his fingers and running down his hands like streams. He had gone pale, the red streaks on his body dim. I had a sad feeling come over me as I watched his chill and miserable body.

"Well, we fell down the cliff, and U-Mos landed on Dark Samus," Samus explained, a tad edgily. She was tense on my thighs. "Her finger went through his stomach."

Dray and Ghor stared. "And now he's suffering from blood loss?" the robot asked.

Samus shrugged. "That's my only guess as to why he's so sick. We need to get him some medical help."

"We're going to a Space Pirate outpost for that?" Dray wondered, her eyebrow shooting skyward. "Why would they have medical stuff there?"

"Space Pirates have advanced technology. I think that they'll have a sufficient amount of supplies for us to use there." She twisted around, laying back into my chest.

"And what if they don't? What do we do with U-Mos then?" Ghor questioned, and subsequent to his remark there came a gurgled whimper from the injured Luminoth.

Samus sighed in despair. "We'll do our best to heal him."

"Wait... Don't you have doctor things on this ship?" Dray said, looking around.

Samus looked back again. "Yeah... I do... Let me-"

"Um..." Ghor interrupted, twiddling his thumbs. "I accidentally happened to... have thrown them out when I was... merging with the ship..."

The huntress exhaled with irony, lowering her head. "Typical... Why does that always happen to me?"

Ghor laughed nervously. "Heh, heh... I'm sorry..." Dray smacked him across the arm. "Ouch! I didn't mean to!"

"Samus..." a forlorn, gritty voice uttered. All our attentions were diverted to U-Mos, who had weakly raised his sopping hand towards the huntress. "...T-thank... you... For... saving m-me..."

She smiled. "You're welcome, U-Mos. It's a pleasure to help you."

He feebly smiled as well, and shut his eyes with a relaxed breath. I looked back around and out the window, the clouds that rushed by. Samus's gaze stayed fixed on U-Mos, and her visor lit up as she scanned his ichor.

"It's rising..." she mumbled as she screened.

"The Phazon in his blood?" I asked in wonder, watching the Luminoth as he tried to breathe evenly. "It's going up?"

"Yes. It's grown to 60%... I just don't understand..." Samus scratched her head. "How can it be elevating when he's nowhere near Phazon?"

Ghor spoke up. "What?"

"U-Mos has got Phazon inside him. The level of it is getting bigger," Samus described, shaking her helmet from side to side. "It doesn't make sense..."

Dray looked at him as he lightly slept. "Is he corrupted?" 

"My scans detect nothing at all. He's totally clean."

Ghor pondered this response, rubbing his chin. "Very peculiar..."

U-Mos stirred, blearily cracking his eyes open. "Unh... Are were there... yet?"

Samus shook her head. "Not yet. Just rest, okay?"

He nodded, but stopped abruptly, his fingers digging into the expanding hole. "Augh!!" he cried out, pinching his eyes shut and squirming. Gooey Phazon fountained from his abdomen, leaking all over the floor. Ghor and Dray came to his aid, trying to stop the flowing.

"U-Mos! What's going on?" Dray said, forcing his hand down over his gash.

_"It hurts! Oh, it hurts..." _His wails were strained and suffering. My heart sank at how much pain he was enduring. _"Please... make it stop!! Please!!"_

Samus stood, darting over and kneeling. "U-Mos, calm down, it'll be all right!" She placed her hands on his head and made him stare at her. "Don't think about the pain!"

He steadied himself slightly, but Phazon continued to pulse from his body in a runny torrent. He swallowed, clenching his fists and lolling his head to the side, despite Samus's hold on his skull. The feathers on his crown twitched and pricked upward, then fell neatly down. U-Mos released a relieved exhale, loosening his fingers.

"Are you better, now?" Samus breathed, lessening the tightness of her hands.

The Luminoth tiredly nodded, peeking past her and to me. "A... bit. Rundas... The console..."

I looked back, seeing the bleeping dashboard that requested me to control it. I did so, placing my hand on a flat module, which blinked green after I did. "Landing data received," a female robotic voice said, and the fighter dipped, those not seated sliding. "Docking in Tyhorn bay seven."

Samus stayed behind me with U-Mos, Ghor, and Dray, making sure the crippled passenger didn't burst into painful shrieks again. "You don't have to control it, Rundas. The ship will land itself." She told me as my hands hovered above the complicated panel.

I dropped them to my sides. "Good. I would've never been able to do it." She laughed.

A few minutes later, we docked on the aged, damaged floors of Tyhorn. I was cautious, but Samus lowered the hatch and made us all get out of the vessel. She made sure U-Mos was able to walk, which thankfully he was, and we started to explore.

We were strolling through the beat-up corridors, searching for some sort of medical assistance we could find. "Any signs yet?" Samus asked Ghor, who was tapping buttons and twisting holograms around for a map of this place.

"No. I can't even get an uplink to this... Maybe the computers are too senescent..." he continued to fumble with the technology.

Dray sighed, leaning against a rusted wall. "This is really stupid. So we're just gonna wait here until the Leviathan blows up? Is that right?"

Samus shot her a glare. "As a matter of fact, yes. But we're also here to patch up and heal a bit."

U-Mos was rubbing his abdomen, where the scar had clearly gotten bigger. No more of his golden blood secreted from it, only thick blue guck that reeked. He was looking around with exhausted eyes, and his face lit up. "Look at that!"

We all turned to where he was glancing, finding a large door that was deteriorating off of its hinges. It was open slightly, and above in translated Space Pirate language, read, 'Medical Bay'.

The five of us rushed to the door, with Ghor kicking it down and flicking on the light switch. We each stepped inside, taking a glimpse around at the many shelves and tables that were cluttered with all kinds of doctor's tools. Most them I didn't know, but a select few were human made instruments.

Dray, Ghor, Samus, and I went and examined the new discovery, but U-Mos remind near the door, and sunk to the ground.

I was toying with a few scalpels that gave me an eerie sense of recollection, and tossed them aside quickly. Then I was about through with prying open a rotting metal case did something interrupt me.

_'Aauuuuggggh!!!!!!"_


	27. Parasite

I whipped around, shocked by U-Mos's blood curdling scream. Dray, Samus, and Ghor turned too to see the Luminoth on his feet, shaking like mad. His eyes were running Phazon, and it was pouring from his gasping mouth. It was the worst, however, from his abdomen, which was completely soaked blue from the Phazon that chuted from it. His hands were raking at his stomach, and U-Mos tripped back, hitting the floor and twisting his long body around as he yelled in pain.

We were all glued to our spots, gaping at the macabre that played before us. I didn't think this situation could get any worse as a pool formed around him.

But then it did, and my entire form went as cold as my manipulated ice.

Something shot out from U-Mos's wound, writhing like a giant worm. He screamed harder, and even harder still as four more forced themselves from his abdomen, wiggling at the air in freedom. The Phazon dripped off of them, and I found the things to be transparent and tender looking, glowing brightly. The tentacle tips pushed against the surface of his stomach, pulling something large and jellyfish-like from inside his body. It squeezed itself out of the poor Luminoth, and I noticed the curved, soft head that contained a big organ, maybe a brain. Veins were strung across the elastic shell from within, like a Metroid's. I was stupefied when the parasite that had once been inside of U-Mos opened a pair of red, circular eyes, flecked with spots of orange and yellow.

"No!! I don't believe it!!" Samus cried, running into the table she stood dumbfounded in front of. "The Essence of Metroid Prime... I destroyed you!!"

The thing hovered above its original host, the peculiar orbs that gave it vision studying us. To mine and everyone else's alarm, the creature descended gracefully to the ground, standing on the five tendrils like feet. Then, it grew and shaped itself into a form that resembled Dark Samus's, and once the dark pigments and arm gun formed, I thought knew the malicious being that stood in the same room.

She was see-through, I could fully view her internal structure. Bones that were armored made up her translucent figure, and yellow eye balls that never blinked were on her thighs, hand, forehead, and calves. Her face was just a skull, with three more eyes that remained unblinking. The spiked shoulder pads looked holey, and cores of pure Phazon beamed brightly inside. A ball of red light was within her upper chest, with more little veins that traveled through her clear body.

Dark Samus threw her head back, bending her knees and laughing like a maniac. Her laughter was low and controlled at first, but as the seconds went by, it heightened to a pitchy hysteric that chilled me to the marrow. I took a step away, gripping a countertop for balance.

"Did you really think you had defeated me? I still had an egg in my old body, and transferred it into U-Mos once he landed on me. Ha! I have many forms, as I have told you before, Rundas," she spoke, seeing my shocked face. "You can never---" she paused. _"I will not die! I will never lose!! _And you, my pretty little Bounty Hunters, will be the first to witness how powerful I truly am!!!" She raised her bony arm cannon, poised for one final battle.

At which, the four of us obliged.

Dark Samus rose above our heads, shooting Phazon in all directions. The blasts covered the walls and floor in blue, leaving no section of metal free. Then she tightened her fist, the eye on the top giving us a ruthless stare. We tensed for the fight, which I sensed would be bloody and terrible.

She returned to the ground and stomped her left foot, a large energy shock wave of intense orange color expanding around the chamber. I ducked behind a slumping desk, as did the other three, and peeked around the glowing edge to U-Mos.

He was still breathing, but it came out in suffering sobs. The Phazon pool was now blending with his fair blood, and he was trying to sit himself up behind Dark Samus's back. Though, from the horrifying thing he had been through, he was struggling, and keeping his grunting silent. His eyes were ablaze with anger and hatred towards the skeletal adversary.

I looked across the aisle to Samus, who was taking glances over the counter to scan her doppleganger. Ghor and Dray were arming their weapons as the dark hunter shouted, "What's the matter, hunters? Too afraid to come out and fight like true warriors?"

Samus shot upright, firing a super missile at the antagonist that chortled insanely. Her twisted joy was cut short as the projectile blew up on her thin chest, and she stumbled back, almost touching U-Mos. He pulled his legs away and scooted himself towards the door.

"Shut up!!" Samus shouted, her glare so burning it could have melted steel. "We have no problem in facing and conquering you, Dark Samus! We've done it once and we'll do it again!"

With that, Dray, Ghor, and I found our courage, getting to our feet and preparing to fight for our lives, whatever the cost. Dray was focusing her purple electricity around her hands, Ghor was cocking his plasma cannon, Samus was pointing her gun to our foe, and I was holding ice spears that were as cold and sharp as could be.

Dark Samus cackled once more, holding her cannon ready to fire. "Don't be so confident! I knocked each of you down on Norion with a single shot, and then the Phazon did the rest of my work for me! You don't stand a chance even now! I will win, Samus Aran. Make no mistake about that!"

"The only mistake here," said a weak, yet somber voice. "Is you choosing to duel with us, Worm."

The dark huntress turned and her three eyes widened at the sight of U-Mos, standing to his full, towering height. Even though he was pale, bleeding, and having trouble standing, he was extremely intimidating. I smiled as he took a step towards her. "You will suffer for your transgressions and evils heavily. May the Light of Aether curse you! May the Ing take you back as their leader, and drag you into the depths of their eternal damnation!!"

The lights flickered, and I got chills.

Dark Samus stood rigid, but acted like she hadn't even been fazed. I could tell she seemed a little uneasy about U-Mos's patriarch remarks, and she went even stiffer still when he concluded, "And may we _never see you again!!"_

The five us of charged toward her.


	28. Deadly Encounters

Dark Samus counterattacked, blowing us all away with a sweep of her arms. I and the others skidded on our feet, balanced for battle. She held her gun to each one of us, circling around and making sure she could see all of her murderous company. "I'm the kind of girl that doesn't give up. And neither your minor words nor your actions can change it."

I cracked my knuckles. "I beg to differ!" I launched myself at the dark hunter, oblivious as to what had possessed me to do it. We were sent rolling, and Dray hopped out of our way. I was cutting into her body with the ice shards I held, and she was roughly kicking me and punching wildly. She bled more Phazon that burned my skin.

"Getting a little bold, are we Rundas?" she crooned, her sharp teeth sawed to a grin. "You weren't this brave when you faced Ridley!!" Her foot crushed into my stomach, and sent me shooting off of her and landing roughly into a corroded desk. Vials and syringes showered me, then rolled to the floor in shatters of glass. I glared as she stood and smirked, Phazon building up brightly inside her gun. She raised the barrel toward me-

-and got a fist to the face from Samus. There was a snap, and Dark Samus's jaw was dislocated. She turned to her attacker, only to freeze and find her mirror's weapon resting on her collarbone. "Don't touch him, scumbag. Or it'll be the last thing you do."

Dark Samus pouted her gracile lip. "Aww, getting infatuated by your Phrygisian boyfriend? You remind me of Ridley when he first saw me," her voice was dripping with ridicule.

The huntress roared, lashing out with her clenched hand and firing her arm cannon at insane velocity. Her foe dodged and aimed a few shots of her own at the shining Varia Suit. Samus merely grunted, and kneed the doppleganger with her razored knee cap. "How could that vermin be in love with you? You're both sickening!"

"Ha! Don't quip, Hatchling, you're just jealous of my stunning looks-" at that jeer, Samus froze Dark Samus's head solid with her ice missiles, cutting off her speech. She reached for her blocky, freezing cranium, and I noticed one of her fingers was missing. Her shouts were muffled, thank goodness- they sounded like cusses.

"Kiss this, slut." Samus growled, snatching Ghor's plasma cannon and firing at the ice coating. It melted the stuff instantly, and once through with that, the acid also ate away at Dark Samus's thin face. Her screams were bubbled as her Phazon bones liquefied grossly, dribbling down her neck with steam rising.

"Grab her," Samus commanded to Ghor, who agreed and seized the pitiful monster's feet. We all stepped back as he swung her around, hurling her across the room and through a wall. It went quiet, and the yells of pain stopped. Only the inky hole that was lit dimly by sparks made any movement.

A thundering boom sounded from the pit, and an enormous beam of Phazon was blasted at us. Caught by surprise, the five of us were hit. Dray fell, but Ghor supported her and held her up, whilst sparking. U-Mos winced, though I knew that beneath his untouched expression he was in major pain. Samus and I were strong, standing fast against the shot, although that _frickin' _hurt.

Dark Samus was standing in the wall gap, her Phazon beam fading. She frowned, shrugging. "Darn it, I thought that would work. Maybe this will?"

Then she extended her arms and disappeared, her cruel laughter died away. I turned my head around in confusion and panic. Where did she go?

While the rest of us were bemused, Samus flicked to her X-Ray Visor, twisting around the room to track Dark Samus, wherever she was. She found her in some random direction, and started to fire rapidly. The others turned and started to attack the wall corner as well, but I hesitated. Why would Dark Samus be lingering over a pipe?

I dismissed my superstitions, and flung a keen dagger of ice to the target. It sunk into the wall, then came a short squeal. Blue seeped from the cut, and then Dark Samus reappeared, pinned to the wall through her chest. She was trying to pry herself off the skewer of frozen water, grunting as her hand slipped. I internally hooted in triumph at giving her a taste of her own medicine.

She stopped fumbling with her minor impalement, and remarkably started laughing. A low rumble shook the walls, and Dark Samus dug her honed fingers into the pipe. "Maybe you can fight, but can you swim?" Liquid spurted from the gash, and it chain-reacted, causing the walls to break apart and more of the fluid to flow in with a mighty roar and splash. We were all swept off our feet in the wild current as the flood lights above flashed.

I was tossed around, bubbles escaping my mouth as I searched for the surface. _"Water breach detected, draining chamber now," _a mono-toned machine spoke from the air, and then a great disc hooked to the floor lifted. The smelling solution that was filling the medical bay started to swirl into a whirlpool, and all but Dark Samus were sucked down into a massive conduit.

My sight changed from light and watery, to dim and _still _watery. My lungs were burning and I thrashed around, trying to breathe. I glimpsed a streak of purple, and then something smacked into the side of my head. I ignored the throbbing and peeked at Dray, who was swimming and had accidentally hit me while stroking. She pointed forward, and I saw through the stream U-Mos and Samus. I couldn't see Ghor anywhere, and I worried. She gave me a, "Let's follow them!" glance, and I obeyed, forcing my legs to kick against the tide, propelling me forward through the water.

Dray and I caught up to the two, treading behind them. Samus looked over her shoulder, and through the glow of her visor she smiled, glad to know I was okay. U-Mos glanced too, the feathers on his head drifting in the slipstream. He gestured ahead, where there was a series of openings going in different directions. As we neared, I realized that the undertow was pouring into the various routes, yearning on separating us.

U-Mos had planned ahead, and was gripping Samus's hand. She reached out to me, and I took her little fingers and held them in my palm. I thought I saw her blush. Dray clenched the Luminoth's hand tightly, and then, with a quick jerk, the four of us were swept off through the farthest tunnel, water streaming past us and attempting to tear us apart.

Fatefully, they succeeded, and Dray was whipped away from U-Mos, Samus, and I. I looked back as she opened her mouth in fear, seeing a dark figure dragging the girl away from us with a clawed hand over her throat. A trio of yellow eyes glinted, and Dray vanished from my line of sight in an instant.

I twisted my head to the other two, finding U-Mos covering his mouth, and Samus forcing him to swim faster. Bubbles were breaking through his fingers, and his chest was heaving. I bluntly heard his coughs through the heavy water pressure, and then saw the gold that came from his unhealed wound. Samus wrenched him forward, and I followed as they stroked quickly with the current.

A sudden surge of water threw us onward, and the three of us surfaced upward, catapulted through the clean air. We each landed with a thud on solid ground, gasping for breath.

Samus yanked off her helmet, dumping the water from it and sucking in as much oxygen as she could till she choked. Kneeling, she let the liquid run off her suit, and shook her wet blonde hair from side to side, spraying the floor. "Stupid leak... I need to get that fixed..."

I was also breathing heavily too, trying to steady the tingling in my throat so I didn't cough. The water left my body warm, not cold like normal fluid should have. I brandished my arms and head, ridding myself of the drops that confused me.

U-Mos was spitting up water in mouthfuls, hacking and covering his bleeding stomach once more. Through his wet barking, he mumbled, "I hate water. Reminds me too much of wretched Torvus bog."

"Is that why you started drowning?" Samus sighed, wringing out her ponytail.

He shook his head. "No. Dark Samus did something to me when she took Gandrayda..." He pulled his hand away, utterly covered with runny Phazon. "How much Phazon is this?"

Samus placed her helmet back on, fastening it in place and scanning his blood. "It's about 79.6%. What did she do exactly?" Concern patched her voice.

His feathers fell drenched over his eyes, which were closed. "I don't know. I blacked out for a few moments. All I remember is her reaching for me, and then... inhaling that dreaded water."

"That's not water, U-Mos," Samus corrected, getting to her feet. "It's diluted Phazon."

"From what?" I joined him as he stood. "Why is Phazon present on a Pirate Ship that had been abandoned?"

"Well for one thing," Samus sighed. "This place used to be a weapons outpost, but, once the Pirates discovered Phazon, they were more interested in its mutagenic properties. Once harvested, the stuff was taken here to be purified and studied. Tyhorn had been converted into a science vessel.

"See those crates over there?" she gestured to a few cylindrical, spiked containers, which oozed dim Phazon. "That's only a small amount of the poison they gathered. I'll bet you quite a bit is on the other side of that wall." An adventurous grin spread across her face. "You boys up for a little exploring?"

I nodded eagerly, my 'bounty hunter' instincts kicking in for thrill. U-Mos gave a slight smile, and walked past her. He stopped, turning back. "What _is _on the other side of that wall?"

She strolled cooly by him, sliding the door away from the opening and swinging her arms for him to go inside. "Well? Why don't you be more robust and find out?" She twisted her head to the side, gasping with horror at what lied within the next room.

U-Mos and I were curious as to what could scare the famous Samus Aran. We both crowded to the doorway, getting a glance of what she was looking at.

I gasped too, and U-Mos went stiff.

The chamber was extremely large, based on its duties as a siphoning room. There was a small flight of stairs that trailed down on either wall, disappearing into a deep pool of the Phazon water. The ceiling tubes above had fallen. Floating eerily in the fluid were hundreds of dead Space Pirates, of varying size, shape, rank, and type. We stepped inside and held the handrail, which was overlooking the awe-striking sight. A sparking and clearly stuck pump in the far north corner was overflowing the place gradually, and the musty combinative stench of rot and Phazon hung in the air.

I gawked, glancing around and avoiding the stares of the many eyes that were lifeless. It was a graveyard, with Phazon burns across the walls and the memories of a massacre dying to be remembered. I shivered, but it wasn't cold in here.

"Oh my gosh..." Samus whispered, slowly padding down the walkway and to the edge of the murky water. It was radiating blue, but was darkened by the black blood of the Pirates. "I wonder what happened..."

U-Mos was fumbling with a cracked computer screen, making pondering noises as he studied the glass. "Maybe we can find out..."

Intrigued, Samus joined me at the Luminoth's side, watching the blank monitor with eagerness. He was clicking random things, trying to see if something would work. Finally his toying paid off, and the computer glowed to life.

We peered at it, and U-Mos touched a button in the bottom right corner. The screen was labeled with strange markings I didn't understand. "Can you read Space Pirate text?" Samus asked.

He nodded. "My knowledge is great enough... Here! Found a log from a Phazon Elite, which was one of the Pirates in this room. He rests at the bottom of the pool." U-Mos cleared his throat, then read the passage for us.

_"The rest of the Phazon load from Aether was taken into Tyhorn, ready for inspection. We were eager to begin, and Luri was already removing her tools for cleansing. The Berserker finally lugged the last tank to the pump room, which was an exceptionally large case. It grunted and dropped the canister with a thud next to the siphon, and I dismissed him. _

"_'Let's get started,' I said, rubbing my claws together. It would be pleasing to the Commandos that we got so many cans done in a day, and I was hoping for a promotion. Maybe they would finally see my potential? 'Luri,' I demanded, folding my arms._

_ "The scientist Aerotrooper agreed, ordering the lower soldiers to get the first pod ready. 'Make it fast, Garut wants it done as soon as possible. Oh! Get the biggest one, I wanna see how much candy it's got in it.'_

_ "Candy was a slang term for Phazon that the Space Pirates used, and almost all of them did. The lackeys obeyed, heaving the hulking repository over to her. Using her propeller pack, she glided up smoothly, unhinging the lid with a cloud of warm bringing blue. I smiled as she reached down with a bottle in hand, scooping a full canteen of it._

_ "'Ah... the sweetness of-" Luri cut off, her eyes widening as something dark wrapped around her wrist. She shrieked and was pulled into the magnum, squirts and miniature explosions coming from the inside. After I realized what had happened, her screaming stopped._

_ "'Get security! There's something in the Phazon!' I bellowed to the other Pirates, sneering. They all scurried off up the stairs and through the door, their shouts being heard even after the hatch closed. I unsheathed my wrist bayonets, holding them up to the lip of the canister._

_ "Something black and heavily armored emerged, the fresh Phazon dripping off of the sleek body like rain. I recognized the large shoulder pads, the helmet, the breast plate, and the claws and arm cannon. I lowered my knives, eyes widening._

_ "Dark Hunter lifted Luri's decapitated head from the depths of the Phazon, and a cruel smile cracked across her face. My friends' dying expression was pure fear and terror. With ruthless force, she crushed the scientist's skull, blood spouting and her bones dropping gorily. I couldn't breathe._

_ "The backup I had called stormed into the room, where I stood motionless and heartbroken. Without admission, the hundred-or-so platoon fired at Dark Hunter, yelling curses and words such as, 'Return to whence you came!' She wasn't bothered._

_ "Finally they all saw the true being, and stopped their assault at once. They took back their callings by hanging their heads, and looking sorrowful. _

_ "With a merciless giggle, Dark Hunter waved her black armored arms, a wave of blue Phazon energy knocking into the multitude below her. We all fell, still dazed by her reaction to our apologies._

_ "Again, Dark Hunter chortled, drifting into the air and destroying the pump with a snap of her fingers. The pure water that was our drinking supply flooded into the chamber, sweeping the Pirates and I off of our feet and tumbling with the mighty force. I was twisting to find some stability, and that's when the ceiling cylinders that kept fuel gel collapsed, the raw substance touching the Phazon and exploding. The flash was so bright, and so hot that it evaporated some of the water, throwing the groups of Pirates to the side like nothing but mere Phazon Pillbugs. _

_ "I was violently hurtled below the staircase, crashing into a computer that denied the links to other consoles on Tyhorn. With my collision, the lights died, and the pooling room went quiet and dark._

_ "...Well, all except for Dark Hunter's laughter." _

U-Mos finished, a grave look on his face as he shut down the system. He looked back to Samus and I, who were considering the story we had heard. "So that's how Dark Samus came back, huh? By killing all of these Pirates?" she mumbled.

The Luminoth nodded. "It seems so."

I turned and looked at the carnage, feeling a chill come over me. I shuddered, imagining the whole slaughter again in my mind. "Could we go, now?" I asked eagerly, wanting to be free of this creepy place. "I don't like it."

The others agreed, and we turned to exit.

"Now, you wouldn't want to leave yet, would you? This party's just getting started!" I heard the smoothly malevolent voice from behind us, and we all turned to see Dark Samus sitting atop the broken pump, legs crossed. "After all..." she flicked her wrist, and the Phazon pool glowed brighter. "...who wants to ruin a perfectly good celebration?"

At that moment, the water churned, with bubbles breaking the surface. A deep moan came from the lake, and something escaped the depths, something big. U-Mos, Samus, and I watched as a dark silhouette rose, then piercing silver eyes glint with malice. The lights flickered on for a second, and the thing was revealed to be a heap of Pirates that were morphed together into a giant one. "Did I mention that the affair is for you? Don't get too excited, it isn't for your benefit."

Dark Samus patted the combined shoulder of the rotting monster softly. "Have a roaring time, sweetheart." Then she disappeared again, leaving us to face the sick mixture of bodies that had its own mind.

"Oh, crap."


	29. Dark Samus's Legacy

**Well, readers, it seems I made a little mistake. I had written these past chapters before I experienced the Pirate Homeworld in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. I have now come across the knowledge that the ship in this fanfic, _Tyhorn_, is actually called _Colossus._ If you'll excuse my goof, then I'll change the name of Tyhorn to Colossus afterward, and for the rest of the chapters involving this setting. **

The four of us were frozen in place, shocked by the morbidity of this thing. Samus started scanning, her habit, and U-Mos and I were getting our bearings. This creature was huge, nearly touching the broken ceiling.

Its head was comprised of the torsos and arms of the deceased Pirates, and all of their eyes were combined into two large, slitted pupils. I found it interesting that the eyes dripped silver, running down the faces of the Pirates. What I could see of the shoulders were more mashed together cadavers, strung with goopy Phazon that was the key to keeping them together. The chest was made up of weaponry, all flared up and ready to kill.

Samus finished screening. "Okay guys, this terror is basically one giant Space Pirate, with all the weaknesses of its makeup. And all the weaponry and skills of them too."

"So we should just shoot it till it dies?" I suggested, which was basically all I processed from her scans.

"Negative. This thing _is _already dead. I say we somehow take it apart body by body."

"That would be very tedious," U-Mos pointed out, shaking his head. "I think the only solution is to burn the corpses."

"And how the heck are we gonna do that?" I wondered, giving him a confused look. Samus studied the beast.

The Luminoth gestured to the overhead fuel gel plumbing, which was still dripping the yellow substance. "Find a way to detonate the gel and destroy this abomination."

Samus nodded without looking at us. "Let's do it."

The monster had overheard us, and began to attack. It charged the guns on its chest, bright and Phazon fueled. They all fired at the same time, but in different directions. The air was torn by the rapid gunfire, and my sight was blinded by the glimmering lights.

U-Mos flew upward, dodging. Samus curled into her Morph Ball, boosting away. I was jerking around and avoiding the barrage, dashing forward to escape one beam that was miraculously following me. I went too far, and tipped over the rail, plunging into the death clouded water.

Something cold and lumpy immediately wrapped around my throat. I opened my eyes to look through the murk, seeing a Space Pirate with half a face trying to strangle me. It was missing a leg, and its open mouth blew inky bubbles.

I lashed out as quickly as I could submerged, knocking its chest. My foot went entirely through it, and I struggled to yank it out. The zombie was joined by several other partially rotted comrades, unsheathing weapons or merely watching me with glowing yellow eyes.

I tried to form ice around my hand, but the water was too warm. Panicking, my air supply dwindling, I desperately searched for anything that would save me. I finally found salvation in a gleaming gun on the charcoaled floor. I seized it and pulled it to my level. The tech was strangely heavy, and attached to something. I stopped.

Ghor.

The lights on his face were flickering, and he was covered some places in claw marks and Phazon patches. He was looking at me pleadingly, his eyes darting around my face for any sign that I would help him.

I gave him a small nod, feeling my chest sting from the lack of oxygen. I gently released his fingers from the plasma cannon and picked it up, shooting the corpses that were advancing on me. I was relieved that the weapon worked underwater, and burned the bodies to ashes that floated in heaps through the polluted lake.

Finally I couldn't take it any longer, and swept Ghor up over my shoulder. He was lightweight, which surprised me. With one last glance around the dirty water, I paddled to the surface, spitting out the black liquid. The barbaric monstrosity was focusing on Samus and U-Mos, who were both shooting it. U-Mos had found a Space Pirate gun, which emitted purple bursts of energy once fired. Samus was pelting the thing with her Nova Beam, it fizzing away at the carcasses.

I swam to the stairs, banging my elbow on a hidden step. I ignored the pinch the metal reigned on my joint, getting out of the water and trudging up the flight as quick as I could while trying not to slip. I rejoined my comrades, ducking below a visible bang from the behemoth. "Guys! I found Ghor!"

They both turned their heads. "What? He's okay? Where'd you find him?" Samus said, still battling the beast.

"At the bottom of the pool. I think he's malfunctioning or something..." I muttered.

"Plentiful! Exorbitantly H2O!" Ghor's voice fluctuated from high and low as he jerked. Sparks flew off his body and water poured from his limbs. "Overwhelming! Hydrodynamo RX L2d 980 Ds 0-----934328908j! Metroid gorma stigna 934328908 Aurora dygnmas! 3232= //////90-9!" He started to exclaim things I didn't understand, and I wondered how he blurted the punctuation.

"He's uttering complete nonsense..." U-Mos said, his gun running out of ammo with a click. He ended up throwing it at the creature with a grunt. "Rundas! Toss me Ghor's plasma cannon. I have an idea."

I shrugged, lobbing it to him easily. Samus ducked as it whizzed past her head, paying no mind to anything else but the freakish thing she faced. U-Mos aimed the cannon at the fuel gel drips, closing one eye.

He sent out two spheres of red plasma, which exploded in little poofs on contact. These slightly charred the bodies on top of the head, but the monster gave little heed to the mere nuisance. It replied with a roar that drenched us in bloody Phazon.

"Aether! There is not enough gel for a proper combustion!" U-Mos Aetherianly cursed, making an impatient face. "We need more!"

An aerotrooper that was all bone leapt out of the mass of remains, tackling Samus with a hissed screech. They landed in a tangled fight on the floor. It raked at her armor while she was pumping its ribs with ice missiles. "Get off me, piece of crap!" Then she did something cool-

Her visor lit up red, beaming brilliantly. All of us -including the zombie- stared. A laser shot out of her helmet, consuming the skull of the aerotrooper with sibilating sounds. The energy crawled down the Pirate's neck, over its back and arms, and continued traveling till it dissolved the entire skeleton. The bone had been completely reduced to nothing but cinders.

"Wow." U-Mos and I whispered at the same moment.

Samus smirked, standing and dusting her Varia Suit off. "Hey, a girl can't have enough nifty gadgets, can she?"

A funky breeze blew at us, and we all turned with bleary sight to the dead heap of bodies, which was breathing heavily through its mouth. Arms hung down and shot up to represent teeth, and a completely deteriorated Pirate with red plating was the tongue. The gray eyes floated to the ember pile on the ground, and I finally realized why the pupils were leaking the silver substance. Tears.

Samus raised her gun, and in a flash, was whisked off her feet. She cried out as the thing gripped her in its hand, and forced her skyward. She escaped as she neared the fuel gel pipeline, transforming into her Morph Ball and sliding into the conduit. The light of her spherical form faded as she rolled away.

"Perfect! Now if she can find the source, she could pump more out, and then we'll have a shot at destroying this atrocity!" U-Mos snapped his fingers, smiling. "Rundas! I will need your help with stalling it for long enough. Put Ghor down."

I obeyed, laying the robot as quick as could. "Stall it? Why aren't you going to do it too?"

He had darted to the computer, rebooting it. "I'm going to get a communication connection to Samus. Give her instruction. Make sure it doesn't bother me." He returned to clicking and adjusting.

I turned back to the beast, mouth agape. "O-okay. Whatever you say, U-Mos." I stooped and picked up Ghor's plasma cannon with shaking hands, holding it up. "I'll just... do this... Even though I've never fired a gun before in my entire life..."

It studied me, glaring into my very soul. I shuddered, swallowing and worrying. How long would I be able to distract this creature? How long would it take for Samus to access another fuel gel supply? I stood alert, finding courage and confidence suddenly. I looked down to Ghor, who's eyes were spinning and changing colors.

"I won't mess up," I muttered to myself, aiming the barrel to the thing. "Not for you, Samus."

Thus, my diverting began.


	30. Operation for Detonation

Yay! Samus**'s perspective again! By the way, hope you like my chapters. And please, please, please, review?! I get antsy! Please also tell me if the story is too long... :) I need a little info from my readers.**

I felt a little bad for leaving Rundas and U-Mos behind to face that monster, but a bounty hunter has her duties. I needed to kill this thing so I could finally face Dark Samus, one last time.

As I rolled through the fuel gel pipe, I couldn't help but ponder. How did Dark Samus return through U-Mos? Had she grown to power gradually inside him? What had she mentioned about an egg? Was it some sort of seed?

No... she wouldn't! The Leviathan was dying on the Pirate Homeworld miles away. Didn't the host of the Seed have to be physically _on _the planet that was being corrupted? That was the case with Metroid Prime... Hmm...

I pushed the thought away, focusing more on how far I had gone, and where I was going. I had traveled for nearly six minutes, and covered approximately seventy feet, as my distance monitor read. This plumbing system was vast. I was headed towards the fuel gel refinery. It had been forgotten for quite some time once Phazon entered the Pirates' interests. Hopefully there wouldn't be any dead bodies there.

I couldn't quite understand why I had freaked out back there. Was it because of the great amount of corpses? The overflowing room of death and Phazon corruption? Or was it because I felt insecure? I had never felt that way... Not even alone...

I got rid of that thought too as I exited the pipe, dropping from the high ceiling and into a hallway. I unrolled myself, stretching and looking around. The floor was ankle deep with the tainted Phazon water, which was coming from the many doors in the passage. I found no windows, but a few disregarded guns and some shrapnel.

I checked my map, which only displayed my current position and the places I had recently explored. There were no orange dots on my enemy radar, so I started walking, in sync the creaks and rocks of Colossus.

Static popped in my ear, and I stopped. "Samus can you hear me?" a low, erudite voice asked.

"I read you." I resumed my pace through the corridor, scanning a few objects.

"Good. This is U-Mos. Have you found the fuel gel refinery, yet?" some noise came from the background, a grunt and a few charge shots. "Rundas is striving."

I heard my Phrygisian friend shout, "Don't you- augh! Stop with those stupid Jolly Rogers!! They're really starting to piss me off!" More gunshots came, and then followed sparking and a series of explosions. "Yeah! I'll kick your whomping rotten butt!"

I laughed. "Sounds like he's having fun." I passed a Space Pirate body, scanning it quickly. The select words in the screening that bothered me were, _'Subject appears to have been fleeing before being brutally shot in the back.'_ Seems like Dark Samus gave this one some pursuit.

"Believe me, he is," U-Mos teased, the line skipping a tad. "Any luck, may I ask again?"

I shook my head. "Nope. Still looking."

He sighed. "I'm worried."

I raised an eyebrow, passing through a door that I needed to shoot, for an energy shield was covering it. "Why?"

"We lost Gandrayda, your twisted alter ego is running around on this ship unsupervised, Ghor is breaking down mechanically, Rundas and I are in a room with an enormous undead beast..."

I chuckled. "Any more bad news I should know about?" There was a pause.

"Yes."

I pursed my lips, stepping over another carcass that was deeply seared. "And what is that?"

"I think... I'm getting worse..." U-Mos's voice went strained.

I peered through the scans I had previously made on his blood. 30, 60, 79.6% Phazon... Levels rising by the second... "What do you mean?"

"I seem to be sprouting cyan veins over my face and shoulders. They're spreading quickly down my arms, now, and some are twisting up my knees. My eyes are done changing from red to blue, and... I'm having these violent thoughts of killing and domination..." I could sense the tenseness in his tone. "I can't see straight..."

"You're either succumbing to Phazon Fever or Phazon Madness... Phazon Madness is what Rundas, Ghor, and Gandrayda got when they were corrupted. Do you feel any anxiety or anger?" I was starting to worry for my Luminoth friend.

He winced over the radio. "Oh yes, I feel it. It is not comfortable, and I don't like it at all. Is there anything we can do?"

"Run a biohazard scan on yourself. I want know how much Phazon is inside you." I demanded, using my bounty hunter voice.

U-Mos was quiet for some time. "Now?"

"Yes. Now." I repeated a little more sternly, hearing more of the battle sounds from Rundas and the beeps of U-Mos's typing.

A buzzing came from the speaker, and subsequent came more clicks and bleeps. "J-Gnk..." muttered the Luminoth, gasping.

"What? How much is it?" I forced. Now, I was distraught.

"88%"

I froze, leaning my hand against a wall. Then I gritted my teeth, fist clenched as I punched the deteriorating surface. "No! I'm not going to lose you to corruption too, U-Mos. I just won't." I left a dent, a lock of my hair falling in front of my eyes.

"They're creeping higher..." That was a whisper, but I heard it keenly.

"How can we stop it? I don't know why it's increasing," he asked, breathing deeply.

"I know why." I responded flatly, angrily.

"How?"

"When Dark Samus touched you, I bet she placed something else inside you so that you would become more corrupted." I pulled my fist from the wall, shaking off rust. "I think I have a hunch of what it is."

U-Mos swallowed audibly. "...And?" his voice was shaky.

"A Leviathan Parasite."

"What do Leviathan Parasites do?" U-Mos's tone was faint.

"They are the beginnings of Leviathan Seeds. I'm guessing that she wants to plant another Seed, using you as the host for it."

"So I'll... _become the Leviathan?"_

I sighed as well. "I'm afraid so. Unless we can get it out of you."

Before he could respond, movement came from the hallway bend. I pressed myself to the wall, listening to squeals and zaps. I went rigid as a fifty-strong swarm of regular Metroids poured into my atrium, shrieking and charging for me. I was about to attack when they formed a reflecting barrier around them, impervious to my weapon fire.

"Crap!!" I turned and bolted down the hall, feeling like a gutless coward. They gave into the chase.

"Samus! What's going on?" U-Mos panicked after hearing my outburst. "Where are you?" 

"Maintenance Passage! I've got a crowd of Metroids on my tail!" I skidded around a corner, dashing down the steel quickly. "I can't hurt them, they've got a shield!"

The flock of monsters behind me was symbolized by a plethora of orange specks on my radar. I made sure they were always there, not wanting to relive the incident on Elysia at that Xenoresearch Lab, where I was jumped by the captured Phazon Metroids and their great numbers.

I was not so lucky, and was cornered by another horde of the creatures, they also having a barrier. I was caught between two masses, searching for an alternate escape route. Fate shined on me then, and I bolted through the door as the groups closed in.

I exhaled in relief at the rancid smell of fuel gel. I didn't need to check my map to know that this was the room of the refinery. I scanned the conveyor belts and containers that the gel was kept and stocked, plotting a way to pump this whole supply into the siphoning chamber. I immediately set to work, approaching a console that relayed all of the canisters and buckets of the gel.

"Okay, U-Mos. Had a little close call, there but I made it to the refinery." I said, listening intently for his reply. Rundas continued to battle and shout from the siphoning room. "What do I do?"

"Excellent work, Samus! All right, let us get down to business. First, you need to divert all of the fuel gel to a single spot."

I used my X-Ray Visor to find the combination of stopping the factory's work, and pressed the quintet of Space Pirate symbols. One looked like a hook, two like a flower, three like an 'X', and four like two hooks joined together. Once done, the console flashed, and all of the gel was transferred into a large, circular bin in the very center of the room. The glow was bright.

"Done. Now what?"

"Channel the gel from your location, to ours. It should be through pipe number 6-1B, that's the damaged duct. Otherwise it will just go through without any problems."

I obeyed, using my X-Ray Visor again to confirm the operation of moving the fuel from one place to the next. A map screen opened, and I specifically used 6-1B for the transferring tube. I clicked the siphoning room for the exit, and pressed verify.

A moan came from the bin, and a giant hose lowered from the ceiling, sticking its open lip into the fuel gel pool. It was translucent, so I watched the explosive substance get sucked up from the container and into the tubing. The sounds were bubbly and sickly, but delighted me a bit.

'Transplant Complete' blared on a monitor, which was translated from Space Pirate text to my own once I scanned it. I smiled, watching as the fuel gel disappeared into the ceiling.

"All right," I said to myself, curling into Morph Ball mode and boosting over to an open duct in the wall. I boarded a little lift inside it and rode it to the top, where I followed alongside the course of fuel gel towards the siphoning room, and Rundas, and U-Mos.

"It is coming in, Samus. Terrific job, once again!" U-Mos cheered in my earpiece. "Now if you'll just start heading over-"

"Don't worry, I'll be over in a little bit. I'm just following the gel to you guys." I said quickly, not wanting to talk in Morph Ball. It was really hard to do.

"Would you like us to wait to blow it up?" he asked thoughtfully.

I considered this. "No. Go ahead. I'll feel the blast."

"As you wish, hunter...

"Oh! One more thing!" U-Mos added after I nearly disabled our radio connection. "The Leviathan Seed implanted into the Pirate Homeworld has only minutes left."

I smiled. "Good to know."


	31. Under the Leviathan's Grip

**Seeing as I haven't done U-Mos's POV yet, I decided to give it a try. By the way, certain anonymous reviewers, what did you mean by Pirate Confederation? I was slightly perplexed after your review. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy! Remember! Rate and review! **

"Keep going, Rundas! She's on her way!" I said to the Phrygisian as he shot at the monster's eyes. "It should not be long, now."

"Man, it's taking her a while! What was she doing, going out for tea?" he shouted. "If so, then I'll probably pay for it!"

I chuckled. "She was just transferring the fuel gel to the siphoning chamber. Plus, faced a little run in with some Metroids." I joined him over at the rail, watching him battle.

"Metroids? What are those doing on Colossus?" he asked in confusion, sideways glancing at me.

I shrugged. "Metroids like to find abandoned or disfiguring areas to roost, I suppose."

The creature was beginning to lose its energy; hunched over and breathing deeply in exhaustion. Its corpse made body was shrinking with each plasma shot Rundas sent out, and a horrid stench was filling the already musty air. The smell of burning flesh. I covered my nose, as did Rundas.

"Man this thing stinks!" he groaned, shaking his head. "I think I'm gonna-" his gaze fully found me. "Whoa! What's with you?"

I saddened inside. I knew what he was talking about. Leviathan Parasite... "What do you mean?" I wondered, false in obliviousness.

"You're... covered in veins..." Rundas motioned towards my body nervously.

I looked down, seeing my reflection in a puddle below my feet. My face was covered in the blue nerves, eyes completely sapphire. My stomach was burning, and the axons were thickest and deepest in hue as they crawled out of my wound. I was paling from healthy gold to ghastly silver, and I seemed to be... glowing.

"U-Mos?" Rundas asked again, after I traced the protruding Phazon neurons on my arm.

I sighed. "I've been infected with a Leviathan Parasite, so Samus informs." I heard the defeat and sadness in my own voice. "I am becoming corrupt."

"What? You-?! No! That's impossible! You're a Luminoth! You can't get corrupted!" he sputtered, disbelief all over his face.

"The luckless Sentinels of my planet suffered the same fate, did they not?" I pointed out, my head antennae drooping. "I do not see how I am much different. I am the fifth descendant."

"But you're the coolest Luminoth I've ever seen! You've guarded your race! Helped Samus prevent the corruption of Aether! You even survived Dark Samus bursting through your stomach for Phrygis sake!" Rundas shouted, his tone astonished.

"Why are you concerned? I recall on Olympus you held ill feelings towards me." I questioned, and he went rigid.

"This may sound selfish, but I don't want you to go crazy so you can give me my memories back..." the Phrygisian muttered, turning back to the behemoth he was previously battling. "And I can't imagine Samus's expression when she sees you corrupted..." He hung his head. "I can barely remember her face when she saw me..."

I looked intently at him. "You shan't have to worry for me. I have enough faith in Samus that she will save me. Maybe I might be able to resist the Parasite," I tried to make him understand I would make it. Though, I was unsure myself of what would become of me. "Miracles can happen. Take your return, for example."

Rundas's appearance was unreadable. "I _really_ hope you're right, U-Mos."

It was at that moment that the collapsed pipe above began to excrete raw fuel gel, which slavered down and onto the creature's rotting head. Sizzles rose from the bodies, and the scent of searing skin was more potent. It cringed beneath the cascade, and it got worse as a large gush dropped and covered the thing in yellow explosives. A garbled moan came from beneath the heaps of gel.

Then Samus emerged from the open pipe, using the monster's cranium as a stepping stone once she unraveled from her alternate globoid self. Coated in fuel gel, she leaped over to our platform, snatching the cannon from Rundas's hands and aiming. "I said to wait, but didn't say I wouldn't do it. Hey! U-Mos! Get Ghor! This is going to be huge!" she cried, a ball of red plasma building at the barrel.

I obeyed, dragging the sparking Wotan by his skinny foot. "Morakkoued!" he mumbled, arm twitching.

"Ready, Samus." I braced myself.

"Okay, Rundas. You're going to have to make one big ice shield, got it?" the huntress requested. Her Phrygisian friend nodded, his frozen manipulation powers chilling his hands. "Ready?" We each tensed. "Take cover!!"

Samus fired the charged plasma shot, letting the sphere careen towards the sticky beast. Within the split second the beam touched the fuel gel, a splitting shriek stabbed the atmosphere. The explosion was intense, but not only from the gel. Because of the particles of Phazon in the air and water, the reaction was twice as exceptionally high. If I had not have closed my eyes, I most likely would have gone blind. It also didn't help that Rundas's quick ice shield magnified the brightness.

The four of us were blasted backward without mercy, and I cracked my back into the wall. Pain shot through me, but my shouts were unheard above the massive, ground-breaking combustion from the creature we had just detonated. The light lasted for many seconds, and the heat was magnificent. I felt my fur being blown towards my back, and my feathers billowing.

Finally, the Phazonic, fuel gellic glow dimmed, and I opened my eyes. There was no trace at all that the gory demon had even existed, save for the deafening sizzles and the red boiling metal. Mixtures of blood were splattered across the walls, but were quickly evaporating from the extreme warmth. All the water had disappeared, and the pump was nothing but black, charcoaled steel.

I found myself wet, and shook off the liquid from Rundas's ice barrier. It must have melted during the catastrophic bang. I twisted my head to see Samus and Rundas to my right, and Ghor to my left. The huntress was examining the Phrygisian, who was looking as if he were in a daze. Ghor was still uttering random words and blinking extravagant colors.

"I'm fine, Samus, really." Rundas protested against his friend's scanning. "I don't need to be inspected."

"Quiet," she replied austerely. "I don't want you throwing up blood from dehydration, again." He moaned. "Well, you've got a little bit of a fever, but I think you'll be okay. Can you stand?"

"Of course I can stand." He easily did, standing high above the girl and crossing his arms. "See?"

Samus gave him a quizzical look, smiling. "Good. Now let's go investigate that hole." She turned, descending the stairs and onto the brittle floor of the pit. We followed, I carrying Ghor along. "We really did a number on this place, huh?" she laughed.

I studied the smoldering ground, nodding. "Anything interesting down here?"

"Not much. It's all singed," Rundas wandered over to a corner, staring inquisitively at something near his feet. "Wait. Come here, guys."

He beckoned Samus and I over, so we came to his side. "What is it?" I asked, firming my hands on Ghor's arm and knee. "Something interesting?"

Rundas was watching a hole, which was fashioned above another Phazon water stream. The flow was quick and silent. "Do you think Ghor came out of there?" he pondered aloud.

Samus kneeled. "I wonder where it goes..." She looked up at each of us, her eyes shining beneath her visor. "You guys alright with swimming again?"

Rundas nodded, and I forced myself to. I really despised the water. "But what about Ghor? I do not think he will do so well in there." I said, glad that I had conjured an excuse. "What should we do with him?"

Samus sighed. "I guess we could take an alternate route-"

"What if we put him in one of those containers?" Rundas interrupted, pointing to a few empty Phazon storage units that were untouched. I was confused. How had they stayed in perfect condition? "Then he wouldn't be hurt by the water."

I looked to them again, remorsefully. "Sounds like a good idea. U-Mos?" Samus said, my attention directing to her. "Are you okay with that?"

I sighed softly. "I suppose..."

"If you don't want to go into the water I understand-"

"No! It is fine. I will swim with you," I quickly intervened, not wanting to seem weak and whiny because I simply had a phobia of liquids. I went to the barrel, opening it and placing the Wotan carefully inside. He did not move, only stared at me with close attention.

I sealed the lid on the receptacle, laying it gently on the floor. Then I looked to Samus and Rundas, who were waiting near the circular hole. "Why are you just standing there? Let us go!" I attempted to sound enthusiastic.

Rundas stepped to the edge, sinking into the water. He was swept off quickly. Samus hesitated for a second, her visor glinting as she scanned me. I stood stiff, not wanting to disrupt her screening. "U-Mos... I'd be, you know, cautious if I were you..."

"Why?" I asked.

"Your Phazon level has risen to 93%." Without another word, Samus jumped into the pit, disappearing with a splash.

My chest felt hollow. I had a bad sensation in my stomach. I once again appraised my body, watching the Phazon veins grow and twist. My sight flashed blue momentarily, and small tendrils invaded my vision. My organs were chilled, and I shivered as I thought I witnessed something shift inside me. Inappropriately violent thoughts swam in my brain, I gasped, finding myself uncontrollably shaking. Then, I unknowingly walked around Ghor's capsule, diving into the water without a second glance behind me.

"_Almost there... Ha ha ha ha!! It's only a matter of sweet time, now..."_


	32. Purified

**So I used a little piece of a Metroid Prime 3: Corruption trailer in here... Can you guess where is was? :D Enjoy! **

I caught up to Samus and Rundas, the Phazon still consuming my visual. My mind was weighted and cloudy as I swam, but the water did not bother me in the slightest. My thoughts were set on following the two, but... also something else...

My suddenly sight unfocused, the river and the pair of aliens disappearing before my shadowed eyes. I went numb, and was shocked by the next images I saw-

Myself bowing before Dark Samus, mutated and crazed.

Commanding Space Pirates to do my Master's bidding. Destroying the bounty hunters, conquering the Galactic Federation, overthrowing the galaxies, claiming planets in her name.

Murdering millions.

Indulging my body with reckless amounts of Phazon...

_Something snapped inside._

I could feel it changing me. Becoming a part of me. _Corrupting _me. But what frightened me most was... I liked it. This power... it was good! I was overjoyed that I had been chosen to serve the dark hunter. My soul was bound to her will, and I would execute her plan with precision. Leviathan Parasite, take me! Take all of me! I choose to feed your greedy jaws. I _will_ give up anything now.

For her.

I smiled, flashing back to my present, stroking state. Rundas and Samus continued to swim in front of me, oblivious that I had fully reached Phazon purification. I noticed that the current had slowed, and we were lazily drifting through the water.

_ "U-Mos! It's about time you joined us..."_ the divine voice of Dark Samus cooled my burning, corrupt head. _"I suppose you are ready?"_

I replied with the thoughts in my mind. "I am lusting to take your orders, Master. What is your desire?"

_"I have Ghor and Gandrayda with me right now, preparing. Bring the others to the command deck. We will begin as soon as they arrive."_

"As you wish." I obeyed, swimming next to Samus and pointing to an overhead hatch that lay open. She nodded, and signaled the Phrygisian to come as well. We each exited, pulling ourselves out of the porthole sopping wet.

I pulled my composure together, knowing that Samus had the eyes of a hawk and sense of a bat when it came to traitorous comrades. My disguise was nearly flawless.

The huntress stopped, her face contorted into that of questioning. "What did you do with Ghor?"

I went rigid, eyes widening. I gasped, "Ghor! Oh, Samus..." I held my head, digging my fingertips into the Phazon veins. "I left him behind... not in control of my actions..." I hung my cranium, antennae flopping over my face. "I'm sorry."

Rundas face palmed, groaning. "He couldn't have picked a more convenient time to do it, now could he?" he leaned down to Samus. "Should we go back?"

She shook her head. "We'll have to. He can't be left alone in his condition, not with Dark Samus's threatening our very existence." She turned back to the water filled hole.

I clenched my fist, thinking, "Master-"

_"I'm on it, don't worry child." _The liquid-lapping circle in the floor sealed shut by a metal cover. Other openings in the walls were closed as well, and the two jumped. _"She won't be going anywhere but to me."_

"I don't think she wants us to save him," Rundas muttered, exchanging a discouraged glance with Samus. "I guess we've just got to go through."

She sighed. "I guess so. Come on, guys. We can take her." She walked forward, ducking below a door that had sunken. Rundas gave me a quick, slightly suspicious stare, then plodded along behind the girl.

I grinned. "How did you do that?" I asked within, going after the duo as they trekked through the forgotten halls of Colossus. They were utterly silent.

_"I fixed Ghor up a bit, linked him to a computer. Security Protocols, U-Mos. I'll unhinge him once you three arrive, though. Ugh!"_ I heard her turn, shouting to somebody in her vicinity, _"Will you shut up?! I'm trying to concentrate!" _

"Why don't you come over here and do it then? I dare you!" a clearly angered voice screamed back.

"Who was that?" I wondered.

_"Gandrayda. Stupid Jovian's mouth will be the first to go once I'm through with that sleaze Samus Aran. You __**will**__ bring her to me, won't you baby?"_

I grinned again. "Of course, my lady."

She giggled. _"Good. Now get going! This will be a battle to remember." _

"I shall. Your rein amongst the stars will be legendary!" I kept up pace with the hunters.

_"You give me too much credit. Now excuse me, I need to go and get everything set up. See you at the command deck!" _She vanished once I was about to respond.

"U-Mos? Are you in there?" A different voice brought me back to where I really was, and I looked down to Rundas, who was giving me a scrutinizing gaze.

"What? Yes! I'm here! I was just thinking..." Samus watched me as I spoke. "If we wanted to know the exact locations of Gandrayda, Ghor, and Dark Samus, shouldn't we go somewhere with a map?"

They pondered this, stopping. "Makes sense. Where should we go?" the Phrygisian stroked one of his chin tentacles in thought. "A map station?"

Samus snapped her fingers. "The command deck! All starships have a diagram of the vessel, with cameras for good measure of where all the passengers are. We should be able to find them easily!" She looked up at me with a surprised expression. "Nice idea, U-Mos."

I smiled, genuflecting slightly. "Thank you. Should we go there?" They nodded. "Then let's begin our travel, shall we?"

I walked in the lead, feeling triumph that that had actually worked. Wait, what was I talking about? Everything Dark Samus spoke was truth! Why should I question her authority? I chuckled to myself at thinking of those idiotic things.

"What's so funny, U-Mos?" Samus asked.

I shrugged. "Nothing."

I heard a mechanical whirring sound for a few moments, and went stiff. She was scanning me again. Why wouldn't she just leave me alone? Now I knew how my Mistress felt each and every time her rival faced off.

Samus tried to stifle her gasp, but did not succeed. I knew the Phazon amount was astonishing, but what was the exact number? I got a little overcome by anticipation, wondering how corrupt I truly was.

This Leviathan Parasite was working wonders, wasn't it?


	33. Get Out Alive

**Back to Rundas, everybody!! Keep going! **

I was starting to get creeped out by U-Mos. Though, I wasn't sure why. He _seemed_ the same. Except for the fact that he was becoming a demonic Seed that would serve Dark Samus, and that his limbs looked like the roots of a tree. Maybe he was right... Could he be saved by Samus? Did she have that power?

If she could help him... then why hadn't she when I was corrupted? Did she want him more? I felt sad, and gazed downward to her.

Samus's eyes were wide beneath the screen of her visor, and her hands was shaking. She gawked forward at U-Mos, her face thrown fearful.

I leaned to her level, saying softly, "Are you okay?"

She shook her head, pursing her lips tightly. The Luminoth lead us to a maintenance shaft, motioning us inside. I grabbed her quivering palm, squeezing it and tugging her stiff body into the elevator. Her footsteps were heavy, as was her breathing when U-Mos activated the rising hologram for the lift. We creaked into ascent.

"What's wrong?" I asked, kneeling so she could hear me better. The tall alien paid no attention to us at all. "Are you all right?" I repeated.

"He... it happened so fast..." she breathed, curling her fingers around my own. "Dark Samus is a piece of sh-"

"Whoa! Watch the language, Samus!" I cautioned, shushing her. "What's going on?"

She regained her senses, shooting a quick glance to U-Mos. His feathers twitched. Samus looked back at me, pulling off her helmet with a quick click of the air clamps. Her hair emerged in a flurry blonde, making little popping noises from being contained so long. Her ponytail unfurled, running down her back smoothly, and her bangs hung loose and delicate from her scalp to her chin. After swiftly brushing with her fingers the curls of hair that rested on her forehead, she studied me with her dazzling blue eyes. I gave a small smile at witnessing her with her trademark headwear removed once again.

Then without warning, Samus shoved the helmet onto my own head, commanding the visor with her arm cannon's buttons. I blinked furiously, the flashing screens of the different purposes confusing my sight. I rubbed the red plating. "I'm surprised this fits..."

A beep came from the speakers in either one of my ears, and my attention was forced onto a series windows that harbored information and diagrams. One on the right pictured a full-scale scan of U-Mos's body, with a blue core in his stomach that fanned out of his figure, symbolizing his corruption. The screen opposite featured a select few of his body parts, hand, arm, and torso. In the bottom right and left corners were Metroid graphics that spun around slowly. The center box was a frozen image of U-Mos's twisted back, which was tinted greenish, and a sentence above it read, ҉_ Access for Logbook. _

"Well this is cool, Samus, and I feel really important wearing this, but why did you put it on me in the first place?" I wondered in a low voice, looking past the scanning monitor and to my friend.

She frowned. "Read the entry," she replied in the same tone.

I obeyed. _Morphology: U-Mos. Subject is infected with a Leviathan Parasite, and has grown to full corruption. Phazon readings, 100% and rising. He now has enhanced forms of telepathy and psychic abilities. With his new powers, he is able to control the brains and actions of other organisms at his disposal. His own mind is under the influence of someone near this location, but they are giving him free will and rights. U-Mos is an excellent deceiver, but despite all this, the overdose of Phazon has decreased the Luminoth's hearing drastically. Thus, he has preference to using his psychometry._

I froze. He had actually succumbed. He told me he would fight it... Did he let himself become this way? I looked at Samus, who was still in a state of disbelief. "What are we going to do?" I whispered.

"I don't-"

"We are here, hunters." U-Mos interrupted, and the lift stopped. He was watching us with his bitter sapphire eyes, and I noticed little Phazon streaks were cracking out of them and spreading across his face. "Will you join me?"

I exchanged a worried glance with Samus, and slid her helmet off my head. She took it back, but cradled it beneath her arm and reluctantly followed me and U-Mos out of the shaft.

"Take this. Just in case," she uttered under her breath as we walked alongside each other.

I closed my palm around the pistol she slipped me, recognizing it as the weapon she had unleashed on Ghor back when I first woke up. That seemed so long ago... I slid the cover off, the rope of plasma glinting inside orange. I covered it again, smiling. "Thanks."

She returned it. "No problem. I don't think you should only be armed with your ice manipulation."

We emerged onto the command deck, which was mostly untouched. The windows were cracked a tad, the floor was strewn with some blood, and the consoles were flashing in and out of functioning. The three of us prudently walked further into the tall room, approaching the computers.

U-Mos started to grope with a monitor, which was the largest and best usable. Samus joined me in examining a few cracked screens, pointing to one. "That's Ghor. I'd know his symbol anywhere."

I studied it, the robot's face flickering on the screen. His expression was unreadable, but I detected a hint of sadness in it. I traced the glass, feeling worry for my friend.

The window above lit up with a brightly colored map of Colossus. It winked a few times, fading from view, but managed to return to our curious eyes. The hallways were crooked and linking to all rooms, the place looking like a giant spider web from this angle. In the very center was the large half circle of the command deck, which was flecked dully with six dots.

Six?

"Augh! Be careful!" an irritated voice came from behind. "Oof!" a thump sounded after. "Stupid schlep."

Samus, U-Mos, and I turned to find Dray getting to her feet. She was scarred in several places with bleeding cuts, and her wrists and ankles looked bruised. Her face was twisted into a sneer, purple eyes venomous. When she stood, she clenched her fists and looked at us. "What are you guys doing here?! Get out before-"

Dray was interrupted by loud, slow applause coming from her side. She twisted her head to the side, muttering, "Crap."

Dark Samus formed from the shadows, clapping her hands together. She was totally missing her arm cannon, and smiling with debauched happiness. Ghor stepped up behind her, the lights on his body deep black. His fingers were sharpened at the ends in glinting talons, and his face was utterly blank.

"I'm proud of you Sammy, for getting this far. I have to admit, I had a little hope that my lovely mixture of Space Pirate corpses would at least do _something _to you. But, as with all of the crap I've thrown your way, you conquered it. What should I do now, to finally rid you from my hair? Hmm..." The dark hunter paced around the deck, screeching her claws against the panels. Sparks shot upward with the shrill pitches as she left long marks in the metal. "I've got an idea!"

Dark Samus's trio of eyes sparkled yellow, and she snapped her fingers. Ghor lunged towards Dray, grabbing her shoulders. "Let go of me!" she protested, squirming away from his clutch. "Don't- ah!!"

With his touch, black lightning crawled over her body, and she cried out. Dray's eyes were devoured by darkness, and her little Jovian physique was transformed against her will. Ghor stepped back as she finished her changing into a more high-tech, tough looking version of his battle suit, and after a pained groan, she went machine stiff.

Ghor merged with Dray's form, roaring with a disturbing voice, "Prepare for battle, for it will be your last!"

But Dark Samus wasn't finished yet. She looked towards us, nodding her head back. "Come, progeny."

"Progeny?" I said aloud.

It was then that U-Mos drifted over to her side without using his legs, a cruel smirk on his face once more. It didn't fit him, not at all. He stood behind her with entire satisfaction emanating from him. His wings widened and embraced her, and she cuddled into his furry chest.

Samus pointed her gun to them. "I should have killed you earlier!!"

Dark Samus chuckled. "Maybe you will now."

U-Mos was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

She twisted around and grabbed his hand, throwing him forward. He stumbled slightly, eyes wide. "Fight them! Now!"

He turned to us, clenching his fists. "Let us destroy them, Ghor, Gandrayda. Leave nothing left except Samus's bloody helmet!"

They came toward us, shouting with malice.

I quickly glanced to Samus. "You ready?"

She grinned. "Always!"


	34. Duel

Samus cast her free arm back, throwing her helmet at Ghor's face. It collided with a crack. "I'll take the two if you'll take U-Mos." she said, the robot recoiling and rubbing his split forehead. "I can handle them."

"Are you sure?" I asked, ducking below a massive missile that soared past me. "They've got weapons and everything!!" I had to yell to be heard over the boom of the projectile.

"Well so do we! Come on, just take U-Mos. I think you'll be able to beat him." Without further ado, Samus pounded Dray's mechanic chest with her Nova Beam, the metal turning green momentarily. The hulking suit and her controller stumbled back, grunting as the huntress continued her assault.

I turned, receiving a blow across the head. "Ow!" I looked just in time to see U-Mos bringing his arm down to smack me again. I dodged, saying quickly, "Come on, U-Mos! You're tougher than Dark Samus is! She doesn't have to control you!"

He didn't listen, only bellowed and kept swinging. I continued to evade, calling, "You can fight back! I did!"

"Shut up!!" my attacker screamed. "You don't know anything!"

"I know that you are the fifth sentinel of the Luminoth," I kept talking as I led him backward, still avoiding his swinging fists. "And that you lived on planet Aether-"

"Augh! Be quiet!" he cried, gaze piercing and fury-fueled.

"I also know that," I proceeded still, and aimed a knuckled, frozen punch on his stomach. Phazon spurted from his wound as I broke through the veins. His eyes went wide as he reached for his gushing abdomen, sucking in breath. "you shouldn't have been beaten by disgusting slop!"

I raised my foot and kicked him to the ground. He landed, sitting up immediately and glowering at me. "You tell lies, Rundas! I always join with the strongest side! Dark Samus and Phazon are the dominant force! You will fail in your useless attempts to bring me back!" he hissed.

I smirked. "It seems to me you've made a miscalculation, U-Mos..." I stooped down, returning his glare. "You chose the wrong side."

For a second, his face went blank, and he stared emptily at me. I watched in amazement the brightly glowing Phazon dim to deep blue, and then his chest shudder. The mutagen still coursed from his wound, however. He reached for his head...

I studied him. "U-Mos? Are you-!!"

His fingers were suddenly wrapped around my throat, and he was chuckling

darkly. "I am never wrong. _You_ have made a miscalculation, boy." U-Mos's voice was cruel. "Dark Samus will destroy you!"

I was lifted high off the ground, fidgeting and stabbing his body with the tip of my foot. He disregarded my hits, smashing me into the computer consoles. Electricity exploded around me. "But just to save on her time, I'll do it myself!"

As I screamed in shock, he laughed and shot me across the row of computers, scraping my back and the screens. I collided with the wall head first.

I opened my eyes once I sunk to the floor, U-Mos approaching. I lifted my arm which held the pistol that Samus had given me. It was squirt gun sized in my hand, but it still packed a punch once I fired a plasma burst at his chest.

He roared, clutching the singed fur on his torso, and took a few steps back. I stood quickly, shooting him again, this time in the face. His scream was pained as the acid attacked his eyes and the Phazon that covered his entire head. Feeling awesome, I shot him for the last time, pummeled his stomach with more of the plasma. He doubled over, bleeding the sick blue gunk.

I used this time to rendezvous with Samus, who was taunting Ghor and Dray. She darted back and forth, ducking and jumping over the bolts that were flacking towards her. Her hair was miraculously in place after all of that dodging. "Samus!" I cried, standing next to her. "I-"

"Give me my helmet, quick!" she interrupted, her gun flashing and turning whitish. She fired a long beam of cream colored energy, which was striped with black. Ghor's breastplate melted. "I'm too vulnerable in the head!"

A bright idea flashed into existence in my mind. "I'll be right back!" I turned away, heading back to U-Mos.

"Rundas? What are you-? Ugh, I'll get it myself!" Samus groaned. I heard her roll herself into Morph Ball. Ghor and Dray roared as she retrieved it.

U-Mos had shaken off his pain, and was ready to resume our fight. His face and body was slightly charred, but the Phazon had started to heal him. "Come back, have you? Coward!"

I smiled, taking a fighting stance and waiting for him to begin the battle. "Well? Aren't you gonna hit me?"

He seemed unsure, like he hadn't heard me. But, he lashed out anyway. I bumped his wrist upward with my elbow, then grabbed his fingers and shoved them back. After he called out, I clamped my hand around his, thrusting his arm towards his chest. There came a series of pops and cracks, and I knew that I had possibly dislocated something in his limb.

Then I jumped up, ice below my feet for support. With a sweep of my now frozen elbow, I crashed my joint into his temple. I hit it so hard that it crunched, and bled more Phazon that ran down his face and splattered my arm.

U-Mos fell, knocked senseless. I dropped to the ground just when Samus had conquered Ghor and Dray as well. The giant robot was sparking and in pieces, metal scattered across the command deck. Clearly, despite being outnumbered, Samus and I had emerged victorious.

I came to her, giving her a high five. "Nice." I complimented, smiling. She grinned as well, looking to Dark Samus.

The boned adversary was gawking at her defeated minions, her three eyes wide. She walked slowly over to U-Mos as he stirred, groaning. She stood over him, fists balled and her face expressionless.

He opened his eyes and gazed at her, sudden fear overcoming him. "Master-"

"Don't. Speak." She said each word as if it were its own sentence, the syllables brimming with hatred and contempt. "You worthless, incompetent slug!" Dark Samus kicked him in the stomach brutally, sending him rolling easily over the floor. He gasped for breath as she continued battering his Phazon seeping body. "I wasted a perfectly good Leviathan Parasite on you!"

"I'm sorry- augh!" he grunted.

She had now knocked him to the opposite end of the chamber, Samus, Ghor, Dray, and I watching. U-Mos was trying to plead for mercy, but whenever he opened his mouth, she booted him without care. "And now I'm going to take it back!!"

Samus shot a huge sphere of her power beam at Dark Samus's head right when she was going to crush U-Mos. "Don't!!"

Her mirror turned, anger flashing in her eyes. "Do you want him? Well, come and get him." She stepped aside, creating an open path from us to U-Mos.

"Samus-" he tried to say.

"Silence." Dark Samus commanded, U-mos's eyes going wide as he threw up Phazon.

Samus had walked forward several feet, aiming her gun at her opponent. "I'll duel you for him. If I win, we take everybody back. But if you win, I'll give you permission to kill him."

"Please..." U-Mos begged, but was stopped again as his Master made him barf Phazon again. He moaned once it dripped from his lips.

"I'll come up on your offer, Chozo," Dark Samus raised her arms, and Phazon gates blocked us from interfering with the battle. "Let the games begin!"


	35. Sweet Revenge

**Copyright in this chapter... Hope you enjoy it!! I did!**

Samus and Dark Samus circled across the pen, guns aimed at each other. Their postures were relentless and strong, no signs of wavering on either of them. Their footsteps against the floor were the only sounds in the dead-silent room.

I glanced from them to U-Mos, suffering on the ground. I looked at Dray and Ghor. The girl had transformed into herself again, and was lightly slapping Ghor's cheeks to snap him out of his confused daze. The black on his face was lightening to red gradually, and his fists were clenching and unclenching slowly.

"Dray... could you take care of him while I go to U-Mos?" I asked her quietly.

She looked to me, pursing her lips and giving a forced nod. "Be careful. We don't know if he's good or not, Rundas."

I gave her a thoughtless smile, watching Samus begin her first waves of assault on her foe. She fired many beams of different weapons to Dark Samus, who allowed them to hit her. She counterattacked with Phazon bursts, which Samus chose to dodge, being the skillful warrior she was.

I stepped past them, darting to U-Mos as he writhed and tried to steady the course of his Phazon blood. His jaw was tightened in pain and he strived to suppress his moans. I came to his side, laying my hands on his wet back.

He opened his sapphire eyes at my touch, gaze flicking to me in doubt. "What... are you doing?" he gasped while blue ran down his chin.

I gently took his arm and slung it around my shoulders. Lifting him up, I muttered kindly, "Helping you."

"Why? For all you know, I could still... be... unstable..." He weakly stood with me, right arm dangling towards the floor.

"I won't be a jerk and leave you hurt." I replied, giving him a recollected simper. "It's what friends do."

"..." he couldn't say the next words, they came out in grumbled gags, but he returned the gesture anemically.

"Do you want to come back there with us?" I asked tenderly, meticulously studying his deep-set, exhausted expression.

"Yes please."

"Good. Now come on," I started walking, U-Mos plodding heavily with me. We passed the cage of Phazon sluggishly, but I didn't mind. We could take all the sweet time in the world. But before long, we had crossed the room, and I carefully laid the injured Luminoth on the ground. He went limp, closing his eyes and breathing in and out.

Dray gave me a cautious stare. "Is he... you know... better?"

I motioned to him. "Why don't _you_ ask?"

She glanced at U-Mos, who looked pitiful. Then she parted her lips, saying bluntly, "How are you doing?"

He sighed. "I am... fighting the inner Phazon that controlled me. It does not like being disobeyed. And I... have really, ticked this thing off."

I grinned. Maybe my friend was returning? "How did you suddenly get your old self back, U-Mos?" I wondered.

He swallowed, making a disgusted face. "I... do not know. Perhaps you knocked some sense into me?" he chuckled a few times, but clutched his stomach in ache and abruptly stopped.

Dray folded he arms. "Yeah. We corrupt lackeys almost always learn a lesson once we were thoroughly butt-whooped."

"That's legit," Ghor suddenly said, raising a hand and pointing his index finger skyward. "Completely and totally." 

_"Legit?_ Since when do you use the word _legit?"_ I jeered, watching him.

"Don't deride me, Rundas. My systems are chaotic," he replied in an acidic tone, giving me a cold peer. "Once I am repaired I will return to my more normal self."

I looked away from him and the others, observing the duel that played a few meters away. Samus was leaping over a massive beam that Dark Samus had fired, which illuminated the command deck brightly orange. She landed afterward, pumping white blasts of energy at her foe.

Dark Samus grunted, placing her hands to the sides and absorbing the Phazon in the gates. Only a small amount was taken, and they remained sturdy. Then she hurled Phazon-made grenades at Samus's feet.

The huntress rolled into a ball as they exploded, hopping up and spinning forward. A yellow, spiny case formed around her as she collided with Dark Samus in a buzzing sound. The dark twin threw her arms up and smashed her foot into the ground, metal buckling. A Phazon tentacle erupted from the floor and wrapped around Samus's tight sphere, squeezing with audible crunches.

I tensed, crying out, "Samus!!"

She heard me, and boosted herself out of the tendrils grasp. She dashed forward and struck Dark Samus in the gut, both of them flying into the gate. The Varia Suited globe fell away from the dark suit as she was sucked into the Phazon thickness, unraveling herself and holding her gun at the ready. I could see she had suffered a few blows, her body suit damaged.

A heartless laughing came from the barrier, and Dark Samus swiftly flew out of it, hand closed and glowing with Phazon. The huntress barely had enough time to dodge out of the way, and fell to the ground with a clunk. Dark Samus whooshed past her, bouncing off the wall when she hit it.

Immediately, she turned and forced her gun to reform on her arm. With it, the end began to brighten, and she aimed the barrel to Samus. "Any last words?"

Her rival smirked. "This duel isn't finished yet!" Samus swung her leg into the dark hunter's feet, causing her to topple over and land hard on the ground. The light warrior stood quickly, jumping to the other end of the arena and shooting Dark Samus with ice missiles.

She ended up freezing the black gun solid, and no matter how much Phazon was shot at it from inside, nothing would melt the ice. So Dark Samus improvised, swirling her free arm above her head and signaling blue coruscations. They all attacked Samus, and even though they looked harmless, left the huntress sparking and twisting on the ground after a flash of light.

It was Dark Samus's turn for comeback remarks, and she sneered, "Every festivity has to end somehow, Samus. And I know the perfect show stopper!"

She turned her head towards one of the exits, which was open. A low rumbling shook the command deck, and then came screeches as Metroids flowed into the room. Hundreds, thousands of the large creatures that were dripping saliva from their fangs. I could tell they were starved.

"Come, my children... I think you'll enjoy this midnight snack!" Dark Samus pointed to the wounded hunter on the ground. "Snatch whatever you can get your claws on!" And with that, the Phazon barrier dissipated, leaving Samus vulnerable and ready for the taking.

I leaped up, but was held back by a hand on my arm. "Rundas. Don't."

I stared at U-Mos. "What?! Are you insane?! She's going to be eaten!! We've gotta protect her!!" I tried to shake him off, but his grip was strong. "Let me go, U-Mos!!"

Dray and Ghor were stiff, as was I, when the Luminoth slowly got to his feet. He breathed deeply, placing one hand on his temple, and the other towards the Metroid flocks that hovered around Samus hungrily.

"What are you doing?" I gawked as his eyes flickered scarlet.

"Something that should have been done a long time ago," he merely replied, focusing intently.

We all watched in awe at the Metroids, which one by one halted their gradual close to Samus. They all shivered in unison. The dark hunter noticed, staring at them. "What are you waiting for? Destroy her!" she commanded.

U-Mos's gaze flicked to Dark Samus, and a humming sound came from the hordes that crowded the ceiling. They all turned to the boney monster, moving toward her steadily.

"Wait. What are you doing? Stop! Don't get so-" she cut her own shocked sentence off as she screamed shrilly. The Metroids all charged onto her, tears and spurts sounding as they darted in and out, each getting a piece. _"Get off- errahh!! Me!! Aah!!! Noo!! No!! No!!! __Auuggghh!!!! Aahhh!!" _She continued to shout and shriek until U-Mos collapsed, moaning in weariness.

The Metroids were satisfied with their heist, and without a moment to lose, swept away through the door and out of the command deck chamber. I stood, running over to Samus as she sat in horror.

Dark Samus lay on the ground in a pool of blood, her leg missing, a shoulder bitten out, the ribs in her body been torn away, and the rest of her figure mangled. She was jerking and howling after nearly being eaten alive. _"Noo!! Aauggh!! It can't end this way!! I will not die!! No!! No!!"_

I grabbed Samus and held her close to me as the ripped body began to drag herself to us. _"I promise I'll be good, Samus... I promise! Don't let me... Don't... let me..." _She reached out with a missing pointer finger, trying to touch Samus's foot.

I pulled her back, spitting, "Go burn."

With misty eyes, Dark Samus beseeched me. _"Rundas! You understand this pain! Help me! Please! I don't want to go... This isn't the way...I'm supposed to go..."_

I shook my head, stepping a good two feet away from the pleading carcass. "You brought this on yourself."

I realized that Dark Samus was crying, her three eyes dripping tears. She looked past Samus and I and to the others. _"U-Mos... please..."_

It was then that the floor next to Dark Samus twisted into a black portal, roars echoing. All of us went rigid in shock, watching as something dark and four legged crawled its way out of the pit. Its single, large red eye flitted to Dark Samus, who cowered in terror.

_"__**Master..."**_ a hissed, high and disturbing voice said from the beast.

"The Ing!" U-Mos whispered from afar, gasping. "I was right!"

The Ing reached out and grabbed Dark Samus's foot, pulling her to the writhing hole. _"Aaugh!! No!! Let me go! I'll be good! I won't do anything bad anymore!!" _She tried to escape its tug, but it lugged her nonetheless.

Another figure escape from the portal, which was armored and heavily mutated. I could only see half of its body. "Come, Mother... Don't you want to see your Son Jake Larsen? I need to tell you how much I love you..." He seized Dark Samus's ankle, trawling her in with the Ing.

She was scraping her nails against the floor, sobbing, _"No! No! NO!!" _Nobody moved.

And then, as quick as they came, took her into the fathomless black trench. It sealed without a sound, and then the command deck was silent.


	36. Purpose Achieved

** This Chapter's a little short. I was _really _tired when I finished writing this and had to go to bed. Hope you still like it! **

** P.S. Was that last chapter something or what?! XD**

Quiet took us all like the plague. No one moved, or breathed, or even thought of anything else than the horrible nightmare we had all just witnessed. Dark Samus's screams still rang in my ears, and I held Samus as if I would be dragged into you-know-where by the demons themselves. I was shaking from fear, pulse thudding rapidly and my breath quick.

I looked down stiffly to Samus, who's eyes were wide. "Are you okay? You're not hurt, or anything?" I asked, squeezing her softly.

She nodded. "I'm fine. Just... really creeped out."

"Is your suit..." I mumbled, examining her damaged Varia plating.

"It's fine. Nothing a few regeneration sequences from my ship won't cure. Are you all right?"

I smiled at her, making an effort. "If you're safe, then I am."

Dray, Ghor, and U-Mos approached us, each of them blanch, with dumbstruck expressions. Dray's mouth hung open in horror, Ghor was tense, and U-Mos was weak looking.

"She's really gone?" the Luminoth asked, voice faint. He glanced to where the portal had previously been.

"Yes," Samus sighed, shoulders slumping in relief. "That wicked monster is finally dead. And good crap, was it a way to die."

Ghor swallowed. "So what now? Do we assist the Federation?"

I was confused. "Why? Didn't they-"

Dray interrupted me. "Weavel told us that they had been overthrown by the armies from Phaaze II."

My eyes widened. "Are you serious? Then yeah! Let's help the Feds!" I turned with Samus still close to me, heading towards the door.

"Wait."

I looked back at U-Mos, surprised. "What is it?"

"Before we disembark, I must return the favor to you. For saving my life." He held his hand out, palm up. "You need your memories back."

I had forgotten that. "Right now? Even in your present condition?"

He nodded. "I am willing. Even after I fought you, I was shown kindness. I wish to be of service to you as well."

Samus went giddy. "Yes! He'll do it! Go, Rundas! Let him!" She left my arms and pushed me towards him, her smile showing through her visor.

She then realized that she was overreacting, and cleared her throat. Standing with her feet together and her hands behind her back, Samus said more calmly, "Remember your past, Rundas. What are you waiting for? Go on."

Chuckling softly, I stood before U-Mos, staring up at him. "How does this work?"

"Shh. Be silent. This process is very delicate," he ordered humbly, closing his eyes and lifting his three fingers to either one of my temples. I bowed my head, eager to see what would happen. "I must take the memories from deep within your mind, where you cannot reach them..."

I listened to him trail off, and grew worried when he didn't touch me. For a few moments, his fingertips hovered on the sides of my head. I looked up, confused. "U-Mos? Are you-"

He backed away. "I am sorry. I just... can't..." He wrapped both arms around his abdomen, running into the window and trying to hide the pain on his face. He had gone paler, almost white.

"What do you mean?" Samus asked in dolefulness.

We all watched as U-Mos sunk to his knees, eyes wide and Phazon running from between his forearms, dribbling to the floor and his thighs. "The Parasite... is... primed..."

Samus was immediately at his side, parting his limbs quickly. Once they were free of blocking his wound, a spill of watery Phazon rivered onto the ground. It looked like any ordinary blue mutagen, except for the tiny, ivory, wiggling worms that collected in the pool.

We all recoiled. "What's happening to me?!" U-Mos panicked.

Samus scanned him swiftly. "You're growing more unstable by the second. The Parasite is preparing to corrupt. Phazon is building inside you at an alarmingly fast rate..." I could tell she was reading the entry, only replacing certain words to speak directly to the Luminoth. "In five minutes, your body won't be able to withstand the Phazon levels."

"Then what do we do?" U-Mos asked with a strained voice, trying to keep his gaze off the grubs he had just gotten out of his system.

"If you don't expel all that Phazon, you'll most likely explode," she replied, grabbing his hand.

She instantaneously let go, the veins on his palm lighting up bright blue. The luminescence rapidly crept up his arm, eventually crawling over his shoulder and streaming over his chest, to his other arm, and up his face. He glowed brilliantly once he had been fully overwhelmed.

U-Mos started to quiver again, then his hand flew to his stomach, and he slid onto his back, twisting in torment. "It's... not happy... Does...n't... want to be... thrown out..." He made the best attempt he could to speak clearly. But, his sentence was separated and pinched in suffering.

"What do we do now?" Dray asked when we joined Samus next to the radiating creature. "Where do we take him?"

Samus stood quickly. "Grab onto something, guys. He's not going to make it running to my ship."

I seized a bar on the floor, and the other two clenched whatever they could get their hands on. Samus held a computer screen, commanding her fighter to come to the command deck window. I heard a small voice say, "Data received."

Soon enough, her vessel floated into view, cannons aimed at the glass. "Ready?" I tightened my grip, and noticed that U-Mos wasn't clinging to anything.

"Samus! What about U-Mos?!" I said really fast.

"Don't worry about him. He'll be fine. Okay, hold your breaths... _GO!"_ she saluted to her spacecraft.

The starship fired a barrage of missiles at the window, which shattered on first contact. We were all sucked out of the empty sill violently, despite our clutches. The hull parted, revealing the inner cockpit. Samus, Ghor, Dray, U-Mos, and I were whisked into the cramped control room, landing with thumps and muffled, "Oof's!"

The owner of the ship closed the hatch once we were inside, activating the gravity system and piping air into the place. I exhaled heavily, breathing deeply the fresh oxygen that my lungs craved. That was only what... a two second trip into outer space? What was wrong with me?

"Get seated, everybody. There's not telling when U-Mos is going to surfeit." She sat herself in the chair, igniting the engines and without us getting comfortable at all, blasted to some unknown location.


	37. Rush

**Heya! I haven't written in FOREVER!!! Anyway, just read it. **

"Where are we going?" Ghor asked as we rode on. We were all tumbling and trying to get ourselves seated, but since we were going so fast, it was difficult.

"The Galactic Federation Kalandor Region," Samus responded, jostling around with the ship. She almost screamed it. I could tell she was stressed. "All of those Pirates won't know what hit them."

"How far is it?!" U-Mos groaned, thought it wasn't a groan, it was more like a softened scream of pure pain.

"Just a few galaxies-"

_"A FEW?!" _he shouted, twisting around and grunting. Samus jumped. _"How long is that going to take?!"_

"Not too long, just be patient, U-Mos. Aren't you strong?"

"Not as strong as I *_urk*_ used to be!" he tried not to bellow this time as he tightened his arms around his knees while curling himself into a tight ball.

"Why are you all rolled up?" Dray asked, staring at him.

His gaze was like a glare, though he didn't intend it to be so mean. "It helps keep the Phazon at bay." He winced. "Somewhat."

I put my hand on his glowing shoulder. "Hang in there, U-Mos. You're doing great." I grinned at him, despite the tingling sensation that attacked my fingertips.

He gave me a feeble smile, closing his eyes and firmed his coil around his radiating body. I thought I heard him moan slightly. "How much time has elapsed?" he croaked, afterward coughing Phazon haze.

"About two minutes. Don't worry, we're just about here-" Samus cut herself off as she stared out of the window. "Wow."

All of us perked up. "What?" I got on my knees and peeked around the chair. "Whoa."

The space ground was riddled here and there with various ship parts of different kind and rank. Many of them were sparking or leaking fuel, while others drifted and eventually collided. I noticed that a single, large Space Pirate vessel was intact and advancing towards the only remaining GFED flagship, the G.F.S. Olympus. Bodies of both Space Pirate and human were floating dead, and rivers of blood hung around.

"So it's true," Samus mumbled, unfazed by this sight. "The Galactic Federation has been ousted. Hmm..." She made a pondering face. "I suppose we'll just have to overthrow the overthrowing, huh guys?"

We all nodded. "But... _how _exactly are we going to do that?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

"We have a secret weapon." Samus motioned back to U-Mos as he slapped down a Phazon tendril that had escaped his abdomen wound.

Each of us looked at him. "What is everybody staring at?" he said uncomfortably.

Static crackle caught our attention. We all turned towards the speakers, hearing a very gruff, desperate voice. "Hello? Is anybody there? If you are, please! Help me! This is Admiral Castor Dane, I'm trapped on the G.F.S. Olympus, Kalandor Region. I can't remember the darn coordinate, but I'm on the third floor, in one of the ship repair wards. The Galactic Federation's been taken over by Space Pirates, the rest of Olympus's crew is dead. Aurora Unit 242 has gone into hibernation and won't respond to anything I say. The Pirate vessel is approaching, ah dang it they're boarding!! Help! Help!"

He continued to panic on, but Samus flicked off the station. She placed her hand on the scanner and the ship lurched forward suddenly. "What are we doing?" I asked above the strangely loud roar of the engine.

"'Change of plans, everyone. We're going to save Dane," she replied. "Then we're going to show these Space Pirates we mean business."

"How?" Dray wondered stupidly.

Samus turned and glanced at U-Mos. "I figure that since you're a Leviathan Seed, you might as well show them what you can do?" She smiled. "Those dumb Pirates shouldn't be playing with Phazon."

U-Mos stared at his glowing hands, then balled them into fists. "Let's do it. I must have revenge for them placing this horrid thing into me."

"That's the spirit!!" Samus whooped, pulling down a lever to her left. The rockets in the back of the ship lit up, and we were sent shooting through space. Out the windshield, the G.F.S. Olympus grew closer. But, also the Pirate monster of a ship.

After a few minutes, we were gliding smoothly, that is, until the lights overhead flashed scarlet. Samus quickly jerked towards the map, cursing under her breath. "Crap!" She fumbled with more Chozo marked buttons.

"What's wrong?" Ghor worried, holding onto Dray's shoulder. She had thrown her arms around him right when the cockpit had flushed red. U-Mos was tense, and I was gripping the edge of Samus's seat.

"The Pirates are targeting us... They're gonna shoot!!" she nearly shouted the last sentence as we jerked to the side violently.

All of us in the back landed on Dray in a crumpled heap. "Gu-guys.... Get off!!!" she stuttered beneath my neck armor. U-Mos was on top of me, and Ghor was sprawled under my chest. Dray flailed her arms and was smacking my face. "You all weigh about... a ton!!"

"Stay with me, guys, come on..." Samus muttered, twisting the ship to the other direction in extreme evasive maneuvers. Like Jell-O, the four of us were thrown to the opposite wall, but this time everyone landed on U-Mos.

_"Aauugghh!!" _he screamed, squirming below me. A searing sound came after his bellow. "Errmmm..."

I twitched, feeling something cold creeping up my thigh. I looked back at the Phazon that was coating my muscle. "Aahh!! Get it off!!" I cried, swatting at it, though it would make no difference.

"No! Rundas!! Stop!! If you harm it the poison will only take you sooner," U-Mos cautioned, catching my wrist with his tight grip. I was shaking, watching the Phazon crawl its way towards the rest of my body. "I know what it can do-" he cut off when Samus turned the ship once more, and we were each catapulted upward and cracked our heads on the ceiling. _"Arrghh!!!"_

We came down after that concussive thump, rubbing our scalps. I noticed Dray's was leaking her neon indigo blood, and that one of her spiked, purple pieces of hair was snapped in half. She was baring her teeth. "Gosh, Samus!! I'm getting beat up by your stupid driving, not Space Pirates!!" Ghor immediately began to tend her wound.

I looked at U-Mos as he moaned, hands on his face, keeping his eyes hidden. He wasn't fast enough to conceal the Phazon tears that were coming from them. I felt sorrow, and patted his forearm. "You're gonna make it, U-Mos. You're the strongest guy I've met, so far."

He exhaled, lowering his fingers and dropping them in his lap. "Thank you," was all he would say.

A bright light consumed the cockpit, electric green and insanely hot. I blinked against it, as did everyone else. "I can't see!!" Samus shrieked, blindingly trying to drive the fighter. "Where are we--"

It was then that the Pirate's locking had fully caught us, and once we were in their line of fire, shot a beam at us head on. It seemed to happen in slow motion: Slowly the windshield split in half, then Samus dove to Dray and Ghor's side of the ship to evade it. Then the chair, the floor and ceiling were broken into shards, and Samus's vessel was cut in two.

U-Mos and I in one half, and Samus, Dray, and Ghor in the other.

The two of us were sent flying wildly into the G.F.S. Olympus's docking bays. There was a shrieking blast. We landed with screeches of metal and smoke that could have blocked out the sun. It was a rough landing, the crashes booming and the steel the ship was crafted from sparking and breaking.

After a moment of composing myself from colliding with the hanger floor, I sat up. The place was desolate, with a large metal covering at the mouth of the bay. Only a single hole was in it, and that's where we came in. Nobody else was in here. It was dark, except for the light filtering in from the gap in the cover, and some overhead lights shining bluntly down on us. Destroyed space ships and bodies dotted the area.

I looked down at U-Mos, who was also a source of light. He was just waking up from probably being shortly knocked out. "Uh... what happened?"

"We got separated from the others..." I replied, getting to my feet. "I have no idea where they are."

"We're.... not together?"

"No."

What were we going to do?


	38. Reprisal of the Infected

**I haven't written in an eternity. Lazy old me... But now that I have free time -summer, baby!- I'm going to be updating more frequently. Anyhoo, enjoy!**

** U-Mos and Rundas kick butt! xD**

U-Mos stood slowly, wincing as he got to his feet. "Do you have a radio connection to Samus? Maybe we could contact her."

I shrugged, motioning towards my body. "Do I _look_ like I've got a radio on me? I'm not wearing anything but my non-high tech suit of armor."

The feathers on his head drooped. "I suppose we should commence with finding the Admiral without them?"

I shrugged again. "I guess. C'mon, I'll lead." I walked past him and he came after me softly.

"What exactly is the plan, Rundas? I am still unsure you thought this through..." he mumbled a few minutes later, as we walked down a disturbingly quiet hallway.

"I don't know, U-Mos. I'm still trying to think of one..." I replied, focusing on the burn streaks in the steel floor. I felt powerless for some reason, like I was useless and didn't amount to anything in this universe.

A tingling sensation swept my body.

_"Unh..."_

There was a thud, and I whipped around to find U-Mos on the floor, face down. He was utterly still, and appeared to not be breathing. I freaked out.

"U-Mos!" I cried, kneeling and examining him. He was freezing cold, and a deep, pulsed wave of Phazon glow was scooting gradually across his arms. I felt a shudder come over me, and the Phazon that was on my own leg prickled.

U-Mos jerked and arched his back, his abdominal muscles tightening as he threw up. Only it wasn't just Phazon he coughed, but actual, twisting tendrils that caused him to gasp for breath. There were four, about two inches thick, gleaming, and covered in tiny energy follicles.

U-Mos was struggling to breathe, and clutched his chest in panic as no air made its way into his mouth. His choking was frightening, and his body was in a spasm.

I didn't know what to do, except for slap his back sharply and hope for the best. His slurping breaths were cut short, and he sunk onto the ground and began to cough again, though he was inhaling and exhaling normally. I watched a cascade of Phazon begin to seep from under his stomach.

I threw the little tentacles across the hall, a splatter tainting the wall. From below me, U-Mos was panting hoarsely, and gulping in as much oxygen he could. Once he calmed down, I looked at him in complete horror._ "What were those?"_

He rolled onto his back, chest heaving for more air. "I do not know. I am guessing some sort of Phazon Worm strain." His words were hardly understandable.

I stared at the squish on the corridor's shiny wall. "And they're coming out of you?"

He nodded breathlessly. "I do not know how much longer I can postpone this corruption, Rundas..." he gasped and clutched his stomach, a gush of Phazon spilling through his fingers. "The parasite... is more prepared than you think..." He lolled his head onto the floor and closing his eyes and exhaling heavily.

I heard murmuring from down the hall. Halting, I listened to the thunking footfalls of several beings. Was it Samus and the others? I looked back, seeing the shadows marching across the metal and going immediately cold.

Pirates.

They spotted U-Mos and I, raising their guns and hissing. _"How did they get on here?" _one of them shrieked, while the other six started firing. _"Shoot them!"_

I wrenched U-Mos by his shoulder as the barrage rocketed at us. He was strangely light, so I tugged him behind me and I bolted down the hall as fast as I could. I felt his skin gush Phazon from my grip.

"Where are we going?" he asked as we sped away from the Pirates. "Do you know where the Admiral is?"

"No!" I screamed back, cringing as a rogue blast scorched my cheek. I glanced quickly at the crowd that was shooting and pursuing us, pushing my legs harder and putting on more speed. These Pirates were fast!

"Then how do you know where we are going?"

I stared at U-Mos's glimmering blue eyes, which were brimming with pain and fear. "I don't!"

His face flushed paler than before. _"What?" _

Suddenly I tripped over something hard. We both cried out, toppling over and rolling on the ground heavily. I heard the Space Pirates' feet stop pounding, and then opened my eyes to see a pair of brown irises that stared into mine.

I flinched and crawled back, scooting away from the corpse. I recognized the armored body of a Federation Marine, covered in blood and broken in several places; including the visor. I looked past him at the other bodies that littered the Command Deck, trying to catch my breath.

I twisted to U-Mos, who's eyes were rolling. He held his head and sat up slowly, oblivious to the Pirate that was aiming its gun at his temple. The barrel began to flare bright purple.

I bared my teeth, standing quickly and shooting frozen blasts at them. Only one noticed, giving a shout before it and its comrades were frozen solid. Once the chilling fog cleared, a mass of Space Pirate ice was in the middle of the empty doorway.

I walked over to them, prying a pipe off of the wall on my way, and swinging it straight into the slab. Cracks split the smooth surface, and soon the Pirates smashed into shards, strewn across the floor. I turned my back from the bloody ice.

"Did you just-" U-Mos panted.

"Yeah. I did. If Samus hates the Space Pirates, then I do too," I simply said, dropping the splintered conduit and coming to him. "You're okay?"

He nodded, swallowing. "Yes. I think I am fine, thank you." U-Mos was recovering from shock, most likely. "Now... where are we?"

"Command Deck," I looked at the cadavers and tightened my fists. Almost all of them were Federation. "And by the looks of things it's not in use anymore."

"Perhaps it is." U-Mos said, staggering to his feet and pointing up a ramp to one of the central computers on the upper floor. "That console seems to be still online." He glanced at me. "Shall we investigate?"

I shrugged. "Sure."

I led him up the walkway, stepping over carcasses and around abandoned weaponry. U-Mos followed my lead, making sure he didn't step on any deceased member of the Galactic Federation's decimated fleet. He looked like he was about to be sick.

I stepped up to the computer. "Okay... this is working..." I mumbled, clicking a few buttons and trying to make sense of what was displayed on the projected screen. "Maybe we could..." I trailed off.

"Do what?" U-Mos was inspecting the screen as well, keeping a firm grip on the console so he didn't lose his balance.

"Bring up that map thing like you did on Colossus... Do you remember how to do that?" I asked him, moving out of the way and gesturing towards the keyboard.

"Um... I suppose I could. Here..." he placed his fingers gingerly on the board, clicking specific letters that I was guessing corresponded to the link he had made before. Once he recalled what to do, his fingers were darting across the keys, rapidly inserting the codes to array the map of Olympus.

The giant glass window above started to blink, and as I watched, the chart of the flagship's layout flashed before my eyes. I recognized the pair of speckles that marked where the Luminoth and I stood, in the Command Deck. Three dots were moving slowly across a hallway far to our left, and a single spot, which was surrounded by a plethora of other pixels were a few rooms away. I knew that the trio was Samus, Dray, and Ghor. The lone was Dane, and his incoming flock were most likely more Space Pirates.

I pointed at Dane's dot. "That's the Admiral. We've got to get to the third floor stat. C'mon, U-Mos-" I turned and was about to leave.

He didn't follow, but was glued to his spot, staring out of the window. I looked with him. "What is it?" Then I gawked at what he saw.

The enormous Space Pirate ship from our previous dart across the stars was hovering outside the glass. It was triple pronged, spiked, and covered in some patches of Phazon. I saw the Elite pilot in the windshield, and watched another one go to the gun system. The turrets that surrounded the threesome of spines began to glow, and the targeting alert on the computer flared.

"It's gonna blow us up!" I cried, searching for some means of retaliation. I hadn't fought back a gigantic warship before, and was frantically finding a way to do it.

The brightness from the guns was rising, and out of the corner of my eye, U-mos jumped over the second ledge's railing. I jerked over to see him disappear below the wall. "U-Mos! What are you doing?"

He didn't hear me over the whirring sound from the Space Pirate ship. The Luminoth jogged to the center of the Command Deck, breathing swiftly. I watched his shoulders rise and fall and his hands curl into fists.

Extremely afraid (though I was severely unsure as to why), I bolted down the catwalk and to his side. "Are you out of your mind? Do you _want_ a front row seat of being disintegrated?"

He turned his sapphire gaze down to me, his face determined. "I am doing what every Leviathan in existence has done," U-Mos looked back at the charging cannons, the ship quivering in the power. I was mortified. "Corrupting."

I watched U-Mos's fingertips glow Phazon blue, the glimmer traveling up his hands and his wrists, his forearms and his shoulders. Then the Phazon appeared on his toes, crawling towards his chest like the other gleaming substance was doing on the rest of his limbs. I stepped back as he radiated Phazon, giving off brilliant effulgence and cold.

"What the..." I whispered to myself as U-Mos's eyes shone the same electrified blue. To my surprise, his wings fluttered, but not enough to get him off the ground. He rose from the floor of the Deck, glowing more brilliantly as each second passed.

Finally, U-Mos was about thirty feet above my head, and flashing completely ice-blue. His light was equivalent to the Pirate's guns, but his became brighter once he spread out his arms. "You have yet to see what the power of Phazon can do, Pirates!" he hollered, voice magnified and intimidating. "When it is in the hands of a Leviathan!"

Slowly, a jet of Phazon emerged from U-Mos's abdomen. It was ten times as bright as the Pirate's turrets, and after a few moments of all of us goggling it, the Phazon exploded in an outrageously massive beam. U-Mos expelled it in a mighty roar as he bent his spine back. With a deafening boom, it cracked through the Command Deck's overhead air, splitting the window.

I watched in amazement as the glass fragmented into billions of particles, but did not whoosh anywhere. The splintered shield hung in place, a great sheet of silver that was broken apart by only small holes made by the shattering.

The Phazon that U-Mos fired was hurtling towards the slivers, and blew them in opposite directions as it passed through. The stream crept over the Pirate's ship surface, eating away at the metal. U-Mos was still bellowing as if it hurt him, and continued to blast the Phazon at the Pirate's vessel. I was dumbfounded.

The mutagen reached the engines and thrusters, the Pirates onboard screaming and running about the main deck with terrorized faces. It was sudden that the ship erupted, causing a shock wave that catapulted me back from the ground and into the far wall. I hit the circular door, the shield rebounding me a few feet as I landed on the floor in a daze.

The crash was spectacular, blinding, and loud. I covered my ears and clamped my eyes shut, clenching my teeth and trying not to screech. Even though I had a right to freak.

As quick as it came, the thundering stopped, extreme thudding ending. I was gasping, and looked out the pieced window. The explosion had left no trace that the ship had even existed. I got up from the ground stiffly at the sight of U-Mos back on the ground, his silhouette pitch black against the still glowing glass.

I started to walk towards him, trying not to trip. My legs were shaky. "Whoa! That was wicked! U-Mos how did you-"

I cut off as he groaned and fell to his knees, arms wrapped around his stomach. I heard him begin to wretch again.

Zipping to his side, I got a good look at the Luminoth. He was still streaked with Phazon colored veins, and his skin was ghost grey. His body was shuddering and Phazon dripped from the corner of his mouth.

"The... paras-site..." he stuttered, voice throaty.

"What about the parasite?" I said in worry, gripping both sides of his head to get him to look at me. "What's wrong, U-Mos?"

"S-still here..."

My eyes widened. "What? Even after a performance like that?" He nodded feebly. "What can I do to help?"

Big mistake, me asking that.

U-Mos's stare was clouded with misery. He moved his arms from his stomach, using them to hold his weight on the floor. "Please, Rundas...

"Pull it out."


	39. Parasitophobia

**(this is an edit) **

**WARNING: Weak stomach alert. If you barf easily, don't read this chapter unless you've got a bucket nearby...**

**** Oh, and guess what? I finally decided to get off of my literary butt and finish this thing. Man, those surprise reviews really kick me in the pants... Anyway! I rewrote this chapter, since it needed the love, so expect the FINAL chapter to be out soon! I really like the new result!**

"You want me to _what?"_ I shrieked, digging my fingers into my head. Gawking at U-Mos crouched before me, my eyes bulged from their sockets in horror, his previous request still ringing in my thoughts. My mind was flying to places and details that I shuddered to imagine. "I've... I've... I can't do this!"

A glare was beginning to form on his face, which took me slightly by surprise. "You mean to tell me you refuse to help?" he growled. "Even after you jumped three hundred feet down a crater, ripped a Chromia from your neck, and faced the wrath of a monster?!" He gouged me out with his critical cyan gaze, his eyelids tightening. The Sentinel spat, "Seems pretty shallow, Phrygisian."

"But I haven't pulledsomething out of _another_ person's body! That's just... wrong! In so many ways..." In my astonishment, I was babbling out excuses - I really didn't want to even consider what he was asking me to do. My stomach was already twisting itself into knots.

I could tell he was becoming frustrated; our discussion was getting nowhere, thanks to my reluctance. U-Mos began shaking his head and closed his eyes, rubbing his fingertips against the steel floor.

"Can't you wait until Samus comes back-" I proposed.

Suddenly his hands were around my throat, and he silenced me. With a firm jerk, I was pulled closer to his furious expression, those Phazonic eyes in flames. We were so close he rubbed against my forehead. "NO I CANNOT!" he shouted into my face. I'll admit I cringed a bit. "This is dire, Rundas! Either help me, or suffer the consequences! _I will not survive if it is not removed!"_

U-Mos's voice echoed off the walls briefly as we fixed glances for several moments. His dominance had proved it: I wasn't going to sneak out of this one, no matter how much I stalled. His anger eventually frightened me into submission, and after I released a defeated sigh, he faltered his death-grip on my neck. In but a few moments, his anger slightly dissipated into discomfort, and he positioned himself in front of me.

In spite of the mixture of resistance and disgust hammering my thoughts, I raised my dominant hand - the right - and scooted closer to the Luminoth. Staring at my hand, I bit my lip, curling and uncurling my fingers in worry.

I couldn't believe this was happening. What was I getting myself into? I tried to keep my thoughts in places that were less... grotesque.

"So... how am I supposed to do this?" I finally murmured, although I knew the answer. My hand was roughly the size of the cavity in U-Mos's abdomen, providing an easy explanation as to what I was about to do. I gulped hard.

I was glad to find reassurance that I wasn't the only one freaking out, due to U-Mos's attempts to settle his breathing. "Simply reach in and take it from me. I trust you." He offered me a smile. His face had softened - I knew that face better than his rage-twisted mask.

He blinked and gestured at his wound. "Do the best you may, please? I have confidence in you." Clenching his hands, he waited for me to make my move.

The Luminoth was discussing this like yanking a parasite from somebody's stomach was completely normal. I ignored my sweaty palms and stared at his gross wound for some time, shivering. It was hard to believe that there was something inside of him... something that I was about to extract.

"O-okay, U-Mos. You ready?" My voice was vibrating like crazy in my nervousness. I held my breath, even though _I _wasn't the one who was going to have someone else's arm delving into my gut. I was sure that my quivering fingers were enormous examples of my confidence as my hand hovered a few inches from his scarred abdomen.

Later, I would come to admire U-Mos's confidence in me, however meager or spacious it was. I mean, if I had a Leviathan Parasite inside of _me,_ I'd sooner let it kill me than have a shivering greenhorn like myself play surgeon.

U-Mos braced himself, locking his gaze past my shoulder and onto the wall. "Yes," he managed, slapping his mandibles back onto his jawline, preparing for the worst.

Looking away, I shaped my hand into a cone, and thrust it forward. A sucking sound bubbled forth subsequent and warmth spread over my fingers. My hand instantly became wet.

My spine tingled. _I had just stuck my hand inside another person's body._

U-Mos uttered a pained squelch. Peeking at him as he exhaled, we both glanced downward at my wrist, grossly protruding from his stomach. "Good start," he forced from his mandibles, his voice raspy. "N-now keep going."

Ignoring the Phazony sludge that was coating my arm, I began to push my hand deeper inside of U-Mos, fighting against my urge to lean over and vomit. He was trying his hardest not to fidget, but every now and then, once I gently moved past something, his body would jerk and he'd subdue a gasp.

"Do not mind me... just press onward, Rundas," he inspirited each time, although through clenched mandibles. His cheeks were starting to fade in color.

I couldn't find the parasite, which was starting to scare me. After all, I had no idea what I was looking for. I probed by a few hard objects, then something runny would brush my knuckle, or the walls of his abdomen would tighten over my hand with each of his breaths. The entire time, I was biting back yanking my hand out and saying that I couldn't do this at all - that I was squeamish (hey, it was a possibility) and that Samus-could-handle-the-whole-thing-because-she-was-awesome-and-I-wasn't.

Nevertheless, I did as my friend said, though not without dissent. "Oh, this is sick..." I whimpered.

I found my fingertips running over an extremely squishy object. Thinking it was the Parasite, I closed my fingers around it. "Got it!" I said in confident triumph. U-Mos was trembling and breathing heavily. He tried for a smile, but it was feeble. I began to tug the object back.

U-Mos abruptly sucked in a gasp and doubled over, clasping his hands around my forearm - my wrist had already disappeared inside him. _"Agh! That is an organ!" _he spluttered in agony, his fingers pressing against my muscle pettily. _"Do NOT pull that out!"_

I immediately let go, guilt over causing him pain consuming me like a wave. I felt horrible. "Oh, man, I'm sorry! Are you okay?!"

Nothing happened for a good while. Practically laying on my arm, he finally nodded briskly. His antennae tickled my chest. "Now that you are not grasping it... I am doing better..." he croaked. Gathering his strength, he slowly sat up. When he focused his eyes on me, they were sunken and scarred with torture - I wanted to apologize profusely. "Please do not hurt my appendix."

I nodded as well. "Okay, okay." I said the words rapidly, moving gently away from his slightly-squeezed organ, shifting rightward. It was awful knowing that I could have harmed him even more than what he already had been. I needed to be careful.

On my "constant alert," I accidentally knocked something as I inched away from the appendix, which caused U-Mos to cry out and lurch forward again. He ended up smacking his forehead on my shoulder armor with a _crack_. I recoiled.

He leaned back and rubbed his skull, struggling to hide the pain as he bore his mandibles. My hand went stiff within his body as I reached with my other to place on his shoulder. _"What did I hit this time?!" _I nearly screamed.

"Something important, I know that much!" he wheezed. He had his eyes pinched shut, his breath coming out in ragged bursts. "I... _beg_ you to monitor what you are grabbing."

I nodded, swallowing. "I'm sorry, U-Mos. I don't want to hurt you, but this is scary..." I felt like a little kid, whining and afraid. "Really scary..."

He looked at me, his face strained. He repeated with effort, "I trust you."

I swallowed my fear and gathered my wits, fishing more inside his stomach. Heightening my focus, I kept tabs on what I was touching and going through. I was puncturing my lip with my teeth so much that I tasted blood.

U-Mos was appearing worse than ever. His face was ghostly-white, and his eyes were dominated beneath by thick, dark rings. His entire body shivered steadily, almost as if he was cold.

Eventually, he asked, "May I use you for support?"

I nodded again. "Of course. Lean on me, dude."

Almost relaxing, U-Mos weakly raised his empty hands and slapped them onto my shoulder pads, leaning dependently on his palms and pressing his weight against me. He was remaining quite still, except for the movement his ragged breathing made on his back and chest.

Now that he had someone to lean on, he gained a bit of his voice back. "You are doing great, Rundas. I have not-"

He sucked in a sharp breath and winced. I went rigid instantaneously. "What did I do?!" Why had he reacted? I hadn't nudged, split, or tore anything. Panic threatened to flutter up in my own gut.

U-Mos's gaze seemed far off as he grabbed for my arm, holding it with an abnormally strong grip. "It knows you are after it!"

That was the most disturbing thing I'd heard all day. _"The parasite has its own mind?!" _Now the urge to jerk my hand out of him was nearly overwhelming. It was bad enough that the thing had totally overrun his body with Phazon, but now that it could think for itself, I was ready to screech. _"Since when?!"_

The poor Sentinel faced me in hysterics. "Since its insertion! It does not want to be removed! It has been hiding from you!" he hollered.

Something wiggled around my claw. _What the...?_

U-Mos was steadily losing it; his hands began flailing around our heads in dismay. The last thing I needed was for him to fall apart. Quickly, I clamped his spastic hands under my free grip, keeping them steady. "Don't panic, U-Mos," I urged. "I've got this. Don't panic."

Wow, I had no idea where in this universe _those _sentences came from.

U-Mos's face was as white as death. He looked like he was about to be sick. I tried to say, "Just keep-"

But then the Luminoth let out a scream of pure pain as something I couldn't see struck him from the inside. I expected him to start to thrash, but instead, he went completely stiff. Hunched before me, I dared not look at the agony imprinted on his face. Instead, his groans - that were close enough to wails - booted me out of my panicked state. I decided that it was the time to act.

I shook off my sickened feeling and searched around his stomach hastily, intent on getting that parasite and destroying it for good. I had to do something to save him. I had to get rid of the thing.

_ I will not survive if it is not removed!_

His exclamation from before enticed me further, and I replayed his words in my mind as I continued to probe his abdomen with speed. I knew my actions were probably hurting him worse, seeing as his shrieking had heightened considerably, but I didn't care right now. I was bent on curing him of the parasite.

It was around the center of his stomach where I discovered something. I knew from the fleeting touch I gave it that it wasn't a vital part of his organs. Whatever-it-was was twisting, rough, and exuded a wave of what felt like frozen water out into its environment.

I smirked. I had found the Parasite.

With U-Mos's screams in the background, I wrapped my fingers around the monstrosity. It immediately began to try and squirm from my grip, but I held strong. I looked at U-Mos as he nearly crushed my shoulder plating, baring his mandibles.

"I have it. You ready?" I asked.

He replied with a gravelly, "DO IT!"

Needing no other permission, I pulled with all my might on the Parasite's tail. I felt something physically tear inside of U-Mos as the beast was dragged backward beyond its will. The closer it came to me, my wrist began to come free of his abdomen, soaked blue and slick. Soon my hand was visible, along with the tossing tail of the Leviathan Parasite clenched between my fingers. U-Mos threw his head back, howling in utter torture. I placed my hand on his chest and pushed against him.

That extra force was enough to pry the Parasite from U-Mos entirely. Upon its release, a long stem of goopy Phazon shot out of his scar, splattering blue everywhere - on my face, the floor, and all over my chest.

I held the Parasite aloft from U-Mos while it twisted in anger. His face was blank.

I beamed. "We did it!"

U-Mos's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he collapsed to the floor.

Shocked, I stared. "U-Mos?!" Then my gaze went from his unmoving body, to the thing I gripped in my fist.

The Leviathan parasite was a three foot long, mutated scorpion. It had four vicious pincers and eighteen, taloned legs. The tail I had seized bore a huge, translucent stinger on the end that sloshed inside with an electric-blue fluid. It had six sharp, pupilless blue eyes, lidless and riveted on me in hatred. Its mouth opened and closed repeatedly as if gulping in the fresh, non-bloody air, its rows of tiny, white fangs glittering at me.

I gawked. This monster had been living inside of U-Mos.

Its carapace was pure Phazon blue, dripping with the sludge. Only after it registered that I had so rudely taken it out of its host did it emit a buzzing noise.

That was presumably not good.

I said, "Uh-oh."

Suddenly the parasite jolted towards my face, screeching a high-pitched squeal that stabbed my eardrums. I was forced to let go as it tackled me, clawing at my face and digging its claws into my chin.

I gave it a good punch, but it quickly recovered and bit my knuckles ferociously. "Ow!" Its teeth had left a sharp pain gnawing at my hand, leaving behind a nice circle of shredded skin. The Parasite flew to the air, jumped onto me and began its attack on whatever it could pinch, scratch, or bite.

I wrestled with the miniature beast, avoiding its fearsome barb. After several minutes, my hands were riddled with cuts and my face bruised at this thing's pummeling. I had done a bit of damage to it as well, but due to its thick carapace, all I really did was knock off one of its claws and twist a few of its legs out of place. I only found success in angering the beast more and more.

Desperately, I kept it away from any openings on me I could. There was no telling what it would do if it still wanted to corrupt. I didn't want to take any chances of being infested with that overgrown Parasite like U-Mos had. Just the thought of its crawling around inside me had me shuddering.

It raised its tail menacingly. While I was lost in my fantasies, the Leviathan made its mark and pricked me right on the leg with its stinger. Flaming pain shot through my thigh a split second after, and I yelled. The circular barb was stuck into my leg, unattached from the Parasite. I watched with dread as the blue fluid filling the orb drained down below my skin. The effects weren't immediate, but I had a hunch that that would come back to haunt me as a chill embraced my veins.

Triumphant, the Leviathan Parasite crawled off my limb, skittering back towards U-Mos as inconspicuously as it could. I turned toward it, casting my hand out and preparing to shoot it with ice. "Oh, no you don't-"

In a flash, the Parasite exploded - I didn't have to fire a single thing. With the monster reduced to a sizzling, brittle heap on the floor, I traced the familiar sound of a gunfire towards the open doorway.

There Samus stood, her arm cannon aimed at the Leviathan's remains. Behind her were Dray and Ghor, with the Admiral slung over the robot's shoulder. I thunked my head back onto the ground in gratitude with my vision starting to swim.

"Rundas! U-Mos! Are you guys all right?" Samus called, darting over to my side. She knelt surveyed the two of us, her eyes behind her visor worried. "What happened? We heard the explosion..."

I patted her knee; my arm felt like lead. I couldn't feel my fingers. "It's all right, Samus. Got everything under control. No need for you to think about it..."

The others came as well. Ghor laid a very weak looking Dane onto the floor and met my foggy gaze while Dray went to U-Mos. "What...?" She looked from his abdomen to my hand and made a face, disgusted. "I'm not so sure I wanna know."

"Rundas," Samus said, catching my waning attention and raising my head. "You've got a thorn in your leg, what did you do?"

I couldn't respond; my throat had dried in mere seconds and my tongue was useless. I could only muster a gravelly moan, my body swept with numbness as darkness bled into my vision.

"Rundas! _Rundas!"_ I heard a voice say frantically.

The suited figure above me started to fade.

It wasn't until the darkness closed in that I finally became at peace. Painless, carefree, peace.

_ I will not survive if it is not removed..._

**All right, you finally got me to finish this story. I should've done it a long time ago, I realize, but something happened, so... it got cut. Anyway, expect another update relatively soon, but don't lean on me too much, yet. I've still got my book that I'm worrying about.**

** Thanks for your patience and reviews!**


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